Crime
Assistant Principal Nerissa Lee Identified Among Victims in Fatal Triple Shooting Outside Berwyn School
Authorities have identified Nerissa Lee, Assistant Principal at Lincoln Middle School, as one of three individuals killed during a shooting that occurred in Berwyn on Tuesday afternoon.
The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed her identity late Tuesday, and the school district later issued a statement acknowledging her tragic death.
The incident unfolded on September 16, 2025, around 4:00 p.m., in front of Lincoln Middle School, located near 16th Street and Elmwood Avenue.
According to officials, police officers in the area witnessed a man armed with a rifle firing multiple rounds into a vehicle parked outside the school.
As officers attempted to take cover, the suspect also fired in their direction before turning the weapon on himself, resulting in his death.
Two individuals inside the targeted vehicle, including Assistant Principal Lee, were fatally struck by gunfire. A third victim was also pronounced deceased.
The motive for the attack remains under investigation.In response to the tragedy, Lincoln Middle School was closed on Wednesday, with district officials indicating plans to reopen the campus the following day.
Counselors and crisis support teams have been made available to assist grieving students, staff, and families.
District leaders described Ms. Lee as a dedicated educator deeply loved by her students and colleagues. “Her passing is a devastating loss for our school community,” the district’s statement read.
Community members are being asked to keep the families of the victims, as well as the students and staff of Lincoln Middle School, in their thoughts and prayers during this difficult time.
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.