Federal authorities have publicly named three Venezuelan nationals involved in a violent clash with Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers. The confrontation occurred during a traffic stop in north Minneapolis on Wednesday night. It resulted in one man being shot in the leg.
Names and Backgrounds Released
The Department of Homeland Security released the identities and backgrounds of the three men. DHS alleges they attacked an ICE agent during a targeted enforcement operation.
In a social media statement, DHS described each individual.
Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis is the man who was shot. He comes from Venezuela. He had prior convictions for driving without a license and giving a false name to a peace officer. DHS says he entered the United States illegally in August 2022. He was the subject of the targeted traffic stop.
Alfredo Alejandro Ajorna is also Venezuelan. He allegedly entered the U.S. illegally in May 2023. After failing to appear for an immigration hearing, an immigration judge issued him a final order of removal.
Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma is likewise Venezuelan. He has been in the country illegally since May 2023. DHS described him as having been marked as a non-enforcement priority under prior policy.
Confrontation and Shooting Details
A federal immigration officer shot a Venezuelan man in the leg late Wednesday night. The shooting happened during a targeted traffic stop in north Minneapolis. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed the incident.
This marks the second shooting involving federal immigration agents in the city in just over a week.
Incident Details and Identification
DHS identified the man shot on January 14 as Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis. He is a Venezuelan national who the agency says is in the United States illegally.
According to DHS, the encounter began when agents stopped Sosa-Celis during a traffic enforcement operation. He allegedly fled the scene in a vehicle. He crashed into a parked car. Then he ran on foot. When officers caught up to him, he supposedly resisted arrest and engaged in a struggle.
Ambush and Defensive Fire
DHS officials say that while the officer and Sosa-Celis were struggling, two other men emerged from a nearby apartment. They attacked the officer with a snow shovel and a broom handle.
In a statement posted by DHS on social media, the agency described the moment of the shooting.
"Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life. The initial subject was hit in the leg."
Both the officer and Sosa-Celis went to the hospital. The man shot is expected to recover. Injuries sustained by the officer have not been fully disclosed.
Arrests and Federal Custody
DHS identified the two others involved in the confrontation as Alfredo Alejandro Ajorna and Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma. Both are also Venezuelan nationals alleged to be in the country illegally.
All three men entered ICE custody following the incident. It remains unclear what charges, if any, they will face in connection with the episode.
Official Reaction and Ongoing Investigations
This episode comes amid heightened tensions in Minneapolis over federal immigration enforcement. Protests and political pushback followed a separate shooting by an ICE officer. That earlier incident left a woman dead.
Investigations into the latest shooting are ongoing. Authorities continue to review the circumstances of the violent confrontation.
