Crime
3 dead, 1 critically injured in Gibson County shooting, suspect 77-year-old Patrick Waite arrested
HAUBSTADT, IN — Authorities have confirmed a tragic shooting in Gibson County that left three people dead and one critically injured.
The incident occurred in the Haubstadt area on South Scottsdale Drive on Sunday evening.
According to Gibson County Sheriff Bruce Vanoven, multiple 911 calls reporting gunfire were received around 8:30 p.m.
Deputies and responding officers arrived promptly at the scene and immediately took 77-year-old Patrick Waite of Haubstadt into custody without incident.
Upon securing the residence, law enforcement officers discovered four victims inside.
Three individuals were pronounced dead at the scene, while a fourth person was found critically injured and transported for emergency medical treatment.
In addition to the victims, four other individuals who witnessed the shooting were found uninjured inside the home.
Authorities have not released the identities of the victims, pending notification of next of kin.
Waite has been formally charged with murder.
The motive behind the shooting has not yet been disclosed, and the investigation remains ongoing.
The Indiana State Police are assisting the Gibson County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation, alongside other local law enforcement agencies.
Sheriff Vanoven emphasized that the incident appears to be isolated and assured the public there is no ongoing threat to community safety.
Additional updates will be provided as the investigation develops.
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.