Crime
Man shot and killed by Homewood police on Green Springs Highway
HOMEWOOD, Ala. — A man was fatally shot by Homewood police Friday morning during an encounter on Green Springs Highway, authorities confirmed.
The individual, identified as John Will, was shot shortly before 10 a.m. in the area north of Valley Avenue near the Red Mountain Plaza shopping center.
He was transported to UAB Hospital, where he later died from his injuries. Officials reported that no officers were injured during the incident.
At this time, police have not released further details regarding the circumstances that led to the shooting.
An investigation is underway, and additional information is expected to be provided by law enforcement agencies as the case develops.
Friday’s incident marks the second fatal officer-involved shooting in Homewood in less than three months.
On June 23, officers fatally shot 18-year-old Jabari Peoples of Aliceville during an encounter at a city soccer park. Following a review by the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Jefferson County District Attorney Danny Carr determined that the use of deadly force in Peoples’ case was justified.
That ruling was strongly disputed by Peoples’ family and their attorneys, who vowed to continue seeking accountability.
The case sparked multiple protests in Homewood, with several demonstrators arrested in the weeks following the shooting.
Community members and advocacy groups are now closely monitoring the latest incident as details emerge.
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.