Crime
2 killed, 1 injured after shooting at residence in Lillington, suspect at large
LILLINGTON, N.C. — Authorities in Harnett County are searching for a 15-year-old male suspect who allegedly opened fire at a residence near Lillington, killing two people and injuring a third.
The suspect remains at large as law enforcement agencies intensify the manhunt.
The incident occurred at approximately 5:18 p.m. Tuesday, when the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office received reports of multiple people shot at a home located at 15 Kentucky Derby Lane.
Responding deputies arrived to find three victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Despite emergency life-saving measures, two victims were pronounced dead at the scene.
A third victim was transported to an area hospital with injuries; their current condition has not been released.
A large number of law enforcement officers, Harnett County paramedics, and other emergency personnel remain on site as investigators work to process the scene and gather evidence.
Authorities have not yet released the names of the victims or a possible motive for the shooting.
Sheriff’s officials are urging anyone who may have seen the suspect or has information on his whereabouts to contact the Harnett County Sheriff’s Office immediately, stressing that the individual is considered armed and dangerous.
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.