Crime
Police Chase Ends in Gunfire and Multiple Officer Injuries in Savanna
SAVANNA, Ill. — A multi-agency police pursuit involving a stolen vehicle ended in a gunfire exchange early Thursday morning in Savanna, resulting in injuries to several law enforcement officers and the suspect.
According to a statement released by law enforcement, the incident began around 10:00 p.m. Wednesday, when Freeport Police responded to reports of a stolen vehicle.
Officers located the vehicle, but the driver fled the scene and struck a police squad car during the initial encounter. Officers briefly pursued the vehicle before losing sight of it and terminating the chase.
Later that night, a Jo Daviess County Sheriff’s Deputy spotted the stolen vehicle near Hanover, Illinois. Another short pursuit was initiated but was also called off.
At approximately 3:40 a.m. Thursday, the suspect was located again in the Savanna area. During this renewed pursuit, authorities say the suspect rammed another police squad car, escalating the situation.
The first “shots fired” call came in at 3:45 a.m., followed by a second at 3:48 a.m.
Moments later, the suspect crashed the vehicle at the intersection of Chicago and Park Streets, striking a Mount Carroll Police Department squad car.
At 3:49 a.m., officers made physical contact with the suspect, during which additional shots were exchanged.
Multiple officers from the Savanna Police Department, Mount Carroll Police Department, and the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office sustained non-life-threatening injuries and were transported to nearby hospitals for treatment.
The suspect was also injured during the incident and was airlifted to a regional hospital, where he is currently listed in stable condition.
The Illinois State Police has taken over the investigation, which remains ongoing.
By 6:00 a.m., local news crews observed a large police presence near South Gilbert Street and Chicago Avenue, where officers continued to secure and process the scene.
Further updates are expected as investigators work to determine the sequence of events and whether additional charges will be filed.
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.