Crime
15-Year-Old Boy Charged with Murder After Fatal Shooting of 15-year-old Tristen Smith in Elsmere
ELSMERE, Ky. — A 15-year-old boy has been charged with murder following a shooting Monday night in Elsmere, Kentucky, that left 15-year-old Tristen Paige Smith dead.
The incident, now being investigated as a case of domestic violence, has shocked the northern Kentucky community.
According to the Elsmere Police Department (EPD), officers were dispatched to the 3700 block of Autumn Road at approximately 8:45 p.m. after receiving reports of a shooting.
Upon arrival, officers located a teenage girl suffering from gunshot wounds to the arm and chest. Despite emergency efforts, she was pronounced dead at the scene.
Authorities later arrested a 15-year-old male suspect, who has been charged with murder (domestic violence) and tampering with physical evidence.
While police have not formally released the identities of either the victim or the suspect, multiple sources have identified the victim as Tristen Paige Smith.
The suspect is currently being processed through juvenile court, in accordance with Kentucky law.
Prosecutors will determine at a later stage whether the case will be transferred to adult court.
During the investigation, the suspect reportedly told officers he fled the scene on foot and accidentally dropped the firearm used in the shooting.
As of Tuesday, the handgun has not yet been recovered.
Elsmere police are urging residents in the area to remain vigilant and to immediately call 911 if they discover the missing weapon.
Authorities stress that the firearm should not be handled under any circumstances, as it may pose a danger and could serve as critical evidence in the case.
The investigation is ongoing, and police continue to ask anyone with information to come forward.
Further updates will be provided as the case develops.
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.