Crime
Tiyelle Rakelle Demon Hollings Charged with Murder in Deadly Juneteenth Celebration Shooting in Anderson County
ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. — An 18-year-old man has been charged in connection with a deadly shooting that occurred during a Juneteenth celebration in Anderson County, South Carolina, leaving one woman dead and nine others injured.
According to the Anderson County Sheriff’s Office, Tiyelle Rakelle Demon Hollings, 18, has been charged with murder and possession of a weapon during the commission of a violent crime following the incident on Saturday night.
Authorities say Hollings opened fire into a crowd after a fight broke out around 10 p.m. along Scarborough Road, where hundreds had gathered for the annual Juneteenth celebration.
One of the bullets struck and killed 35-year-old Laporshia Cobb, who Sheriff Chad McBride confirmed was the mother of three children.
“All of the victims, including Ms. Cobb, were innocent bystanders,” McBride stated. “This was a senseless act of violence. The shooter was indiscriminately spraying bullets into a crowd.”
In total, nine other individuals were wounded by gunfire during the chaos. One victim was airlifted to a nearby trauma center due to the severity of their injuries, while the others were transported for emergency treatment in Anderson.
The current conditions of the injured victims have not been publicly released.
The event, which has been held annually for several years, was brought to a tragic halt as panic erupted among attendees who fled for safety amid the hail of gunfire.
The investigation remains active. The sheriff’s office said they are pursuing multiple leads and have identified other persons of interest.
Authorities indicated that additional arrests may be forthcoming as they work to determine all individuals involved in the incident.
Sheriff McBride urged anyone with information or video footage from the scene to come forward.
“This tragedy should never have happened. Our thoughts are with the family of Laporshia Cobb and all those affected by this horrific act,” he said.
Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses.
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.