Crime
Seven-month-old Zymir Demarco Smith killed in Spartanburg shooting
SPARTANBURG, S.C. — Authorities in Spartanburg have launched a homicide investigation following a fatal shooting that occurred early Sunday morning and claimed the life of a seven-month-old infant.
According to the Spartanburg Police Department, officers were dispatched to an apartment on Collins Avenue around 4:00 a.m. after receiving reports of gunfire in the area.
Upon arriving at the scene, officers discovered multiple signs of a shooting, including bullet damage to the residence.
Inside the apartment, they followed a trail of blood which led them to a critically injured infant suffering from a gunshot wound to the neck.
Preliminary findings suggest that the infant and his mother were asleep at the time of the incident, when multiple unknown suspects fired several rounds into the home from outside.
Emergency medical services were immediately called to the scene. Despite efforts to provide life-saving care, the infant was unresponsive and was later pronounced dead.
The Spartanburg County Coroner’s Office has identified the victim as Zymir Demarco Smith, a seven-month-old boy.
In a statement released Sunday, Zymir’s family expressed their heartbreak and called for justice in the wake of the devastating loss. Law enforcement officials echoed that plea.
“This is a senseless and heartbreaking tragedy for our entire community,” said Major Art Littlejohn of the Spartanburg Police Department. “We will use every available resource to solve this case and identify those responsible for this horrific act. We urge anyone with information—no matter how insignificant it may seem—to come forward.”
The investigation remains active and ongoing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Spartanburg Police Department at 864-596-2065. Anonymous tips are welcome.
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.