Crime
New Orleans jail inmate Khalil Bryan released by mistake
NEW ORLEANS — The Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office has confirmed that 30-year-old inmate Khalil Bryan was mistakenly released from custody due to a clerical error, according to Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick.
The erroneous release occurred as a result of a misidentification involving two individuals with similar last names, officials said.
Bryan was not scheduled for release at the time, and his accidental discharge has now prompted an internal investigation.
In a formal statement, Orleans Parish Sheriff Susan Hutson accepted full responsibility for the incident, stating:
“The Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office takes full responsibility for the clerical error that led to the mistaken release of Khalil Bryan, and we offer our sincere apology to the public, our law enforcement partners, and the court. This incident was the result of human error: a misidentification based on a shared last name between two individuals. We are currently conducting a full internal investigation, and I can confirm that disciplinary actions will occur.”
Sheriff Hutson further noted that Mr. Bryan is facing a combination of violent and non-violent charges, and that law enforcement agencies are working diligently to locate and apprehend him.
She confirmed that victims associated with Bryan’s criminal charges have been notified, and emphasized that new safeguards are being implemented to prevent future errors of this nature.
Bryan was previously held on charges including:
- Illegal possession of stolen property
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
- Resisting an officer
- Aggravated assault with a firearm
- Domestic abuse child endangerment
- Home invasion
Additionally, Bryan was being detained on a separate warrant issued by Jefferson Parish.
The New Orleans Police Department, Louisiana Attorney General’s Office, and the presiding judge in the case have all been notified of the mistaken release.
Efforts to locate and return Bryan to custody are actively ongoing.
Superintendent Kirkpatrick is expected to hold a press conference addressing the incident and outlining corrective actions being taken by the Orleans Parish Sheriff’s Office.
This incident follows a troubling pattern at the facility. On May 16, ten inmates escaped from the Orleans Parish Jail.
All but one, Derrick Groves, have since been recaptured.
Further updates on Bryan’s recapture and the internal investigation will be provided as they become available.
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.