Crime
Tony Penta and his mother Chastity Milenewicz killed in Redding shooting, suspect Jesse Penta charged with murder
REDDING, Calif. — Police have made an arrest following a double fatal shooting that occurred Tuesday afternoon at a residence off Abernathy Lane in Redding.
According to the Redding Police Department (RPD), officers were dispatched at approximately 1:15 p.m. after receiving reports of shots fired in the 10000 block of Abernathy Lane.
During the response, a man called 911 and told dispatchers he had shot two people outside his home and remained armed inside the residence.
In response, RPD activated its Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) Team and deployed an Armored BearCat vehicle.
When officers arrived on scene, they located two adult victims suffering from severe injuries outside the home.
The victims were quickly pulled to safety, and officers administered lifesaving measures; however, both individuals were pronounced deceased at the scene.
Authorities identified the suspect as 31-year-old Jesse Penta of Redding. RPD stated that he spoke with a Crisis Intervention Response officer by phone, which allowed officers to negotiate his peaceful surrender.
Penta was taken into custody without further incident.
Following an interview with detectives, he was booked into the Shasta County Jail on two counts of murder.
Investigators confirmed that police had been called to the residence multiple times in recent weeks for family-related disputes.
While officials did not provide additional details on the circumstances leading up to the shooting, they confirmed that the victims were Tony Penta and his mother Chastity Milenewicz.
The shooting prompted a temporary hard lockdown at Columbia Elementary School, located nearby.
The lockdown was lifted by 2:04 p.m. after police confirmed there was no threat to the campus.
Abernathy Lane remained closed for several hours while detectives processed the scene.
The investigation is ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact Redding Police Department’s Detective Division at 530-225-4214.
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.