Crime
San Bernardino County Deputy Killed in Rancho Cucamonga Shooting
Suspect Arrested After High-Speed Pursuit
RANCHO CUCAMONGA, Calif. — A San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy was shot and killed Monday afternoon after responding to reports of an armed man threatening a woman in a residential neighborhood of Rancho Cucamonga.
The incident sparked a high-speed pursuit that ended with the suspect’s capture following a violent crash on the 210 Freeway.
According to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department, deputies were dispatched at approximately 12:37 p.m. to the 12300 block of Hollyhock Drive, just north of Victoria Gardens, after receiving reports of a Hispanic male armed with a firearm and threatening a female victim.
When deputies arrived on the scene around 12:42 p.m., the suspect immediately opened fire, striking one deputy.
Despite efforts by responding officers, the deputy sustained critical injuries and was airlifted to Arrowhead Regional Medical Center in Colton, where he later succumbed to his wounds.
Following the shooting, the suspect fled the area on a motorcycle, prompting a large-scale pursuit that extended onto the eastbound 210 Freeway.
Deputies and California Highway Patrol officers pursued the suspect through multiple jurisdictions at high speeds.
At approximately 1:35 p.m., the chase ended when the suspect crashed near Campus Avenue in the city of Upland.
He was taken into custody at the scene and transported to a hospital with unspecified injuries.
Video from outside Arrowhead Regional Medical Center showed dozens of law enforcement officers gathered in solidarity as news spread of the deputy’s passing. Family members were also seen arriving at the hospital amid a somber atmosphere.
San Bernardino County Sheriff Shannon Dicus and multiple agency representatives responded to both the shooting scene and the hospital.
Sheriff Dicus described the incident as a tragic loss for the department and the law enforcement community as a whole.
“This is a devastating day for our agency,” a sheriff’s spokesperson said. “One of our deputies made the ultimate sacrifice while protecting others. We ask the public to keep the deputy’s family and our department in their thoughts and prayers.”
Authorities have not yet released the identity of the fallen deputy or the suspect’s name, pending family notifications and ongoing investigation.
The San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Homicide Detail, assisted by state and federal partners, continues to investigate both the shooting and the pursuit.
Further updates will be provided as additional information becomes available.
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.