Crime
Victims killed in Harnett County shooting identified, 14-year-old nephew arrested
HARNETT COUNTY, N.C. — Authorities are investigating a tragic shooting in which a 14-year-old boy is accused of killing his aunt and uncle in their Harnett County home.
The incident occurred around 5:18 p.m. Tuesday at a residence on Kentucky Derby Lane in the Trotter’s Ridge neighborhood, located between Lillington and Spout Springs, approximately eight miles northwest of Anderson Creek.
According to the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office, deputies arrived to find two victims deceased at the scene and a third person suffering from gunshot wounds.
The injured victim’s condition has not yet been disclosed.
Family members have identified the deceased as Bishop Danny Richards and his wife, Sabrina Richards.
The shooting took place on Sabrina’s birthday, only hours after loved ones had gathered to celebrate with her.
A Douglas Byrd High School alumna, Sabrina was well known in the community, along with her husband, for their warmth and frequent visits to Cumberland County, where they enjoyed dining in downtown Fayetteville.
The couple had been married for nearly 30 years.
Investigators report that the suspect, believed to be the couple’s 14-year-old nephew, fled the residence in a gray truck following the shooting.
Authorities quickly tracked him down and took him into custody later that night.
The motive for the shooting remains under investigation. Authorities have not released the name of the juvenile due to his age.
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.