Crime
Parents Charged After 3-Year-Old Dies in Accidental Shooting Inside Vehicle in Mebane
MEBANE, N.C. — Authorities have formally charged the parents of a 3-year-old child who tragically died earlier this month after an accidental firearm discharge inside a vehicle, Mebane police announced on Wednesday, May 29.
Kaitlyn and Michael Hatch are each facing charges of storage of firearms to protect minors, following the fatal incident that occurred on Tuesday, May 7, around 7:55 p.m.
Police say the shooting took place near the intersection of West Lee Street and South First Street in Mebane.
According to investigators, officers arrived at the scene to find a critically injured child inside a vehicle.
The child had suffered a gunshot wound from a firearm that discharged within the car.
Despite being rushed to a nearby hospital, the child was pronounced dead less than an hour later.
“This is a heartbreaking loss,” Mebane Police said in a statement. “We recognize the deep impact this has on our community and remain committed to uncovering the full facts with diligence, care, and transparency.”
Court documents related to the case allege that both parents unlawfully stored a firearm in a manner accessible to an unsupervised minor, leading to the child gaining access to the weapon without parental permission and causing death.
The legal filing further states that the firearm was not stored in a secure condition and that the parents knew or should have known the potential risk.
Both Kaitlyn and Michael Hatch are scheduled to appear in court on July 3 as the investigation continues.
Police and child safety advocates are urging all gun owners to ensure that firearms are safely stored, especially in households and vehicles where children are present.
Crime
Venezuelan national Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the leg by an immigration agent in Minneapolis
On January 14, 2025, federal law enforcement personnel were engaged in a targeted enforcement operation involving Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who has been present in the United States since 2022.
The operation escalated into a high-speed pursuit, a physical confrontation, and an ambush by multiple subjects, necessitating the use of a defensive firearm discharge by a federal agent.
At approximately 6:50 PM, federal officers initiated a targeted traffic stop of a vehicle operated by Sosa-Celis.
The subject refused to comply with law enforcement commands and attempted to flee the scene.
During the pursuit, the subject’s vehicle collided with a stationary, parked car.
Following the collision, the subject abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene on foot.
A federal agent pursued the suspect on foot and successfully intercepted him. As the agent attempted to effect an arrest, the subject became combative, resulting in a violent struggle on the ground.
During this confrontation, two additional male subjects emerged from a nearby residence to intervene.
These individuals reportedly ambushed the agent, utilizing a snow shovel and a broom handle to strike the officer.
The situation escalated when the primary suspect, Sosa-Celis, regained his footing and joined the two additional subjects in the assault.
Reports indicate the suspect struck the agent with a blunt object (identified as either the shovel or broom handle).
Citing an immediate threat to his life while being outnumbered and actively assaulted by three individuals, the agent discharged his service weapon in self-defense.
The discharge struck Sosa-Celis in the lower extremity (leg). Following the shot, all three suspects retreated into a nearby apartment complex and initiated a barricade situation.
Following a brief standoff, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) successfully secured the perimeter and apprehended all three individuals without further injury.
Both the federal agent and Sosa-Celis were transported to a local medical facility for treatment.
Images from the scene showed Sosa-Celis conscious and alert during transport.
All three subjects involved in the assault are currently in the custody of ICE.
Further charges related to the assault on a federal officer and resisting arrest are pending review by the U.S. Attorney’s Office.