Moriarty says Castro, not Sosa-Celis, “committed” the violent crime that night
Mary MoriartyHennepin County Attorney, at a news conference announcing the charges
Announcing state charges against Castro, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said "a violent crime did occur that night, but it was Mr. Castro who committed it," that he fired through the door of an occupied home with children inside, and that his "federal badge does not make him immune" from state prosecution. She also said Sosa-Celis and Aljorna "were here lawfully."
Responding to
Castro was not attacked with any shovel, broom or other weapon. He was standing alone in the front yard when he drew his weapon and fired a single shot through the closed front door of the home, after Sosa-Celis and Aljorna had already gone inside.
“A violent crime did occur that night, but it was Mr. Castro who committed it. He shot through the door of a home with many people, including children, inside, while fortunately missing several others. Mr. Castro is an ICE agent, but his federal badge does not make him immune from state charges for his criminal conduct in Minnesota.”
Official statement
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Was ICE Officer Christian Castro Justified in Shooting Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis?
On January 14, 2026, ICE officer Christian Castro fired his service weapon through the closed front door of a north Minneapolis home during a foot pursuit that followed a traffic stop, wounding 24-year-old Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg. The Department of Homeland Security said the following day that Castro had been ambushed and beaten with a snow shovel and broom handle by Sosa-Celis, Alfredo Aljorna and a third man, Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma, and fired a defensive shot fearing for his life; federal prosecutors initially charged Sosa-Celis and Aljorna with assaulting Castro. Sosa-Celis and Aljorna told investigators they had not attacked Castro, and habeas corpus petitions filed on behalf of their partners disputed DHS's account. On February 12, 2026, federal prosecutors dismissed the charges against Sosa-Celis and Aljorna with prejudice, citing newly discovered evidence materially inconsistent with the allegations; the next day, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said a joint ICE-DOJ review of video evidence indicated two officers' sworn testimony appeared untruthful, and placed them on administrative leave. In May 2026, Hennepin County prosecutors charged Castro with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime, alleging he was not attacked and fired at Sosa-Celis and Aljorna after they had already gone inside the home, where children were present. In September 2026, following a monthslong dispute over his extradition from Texas, federal prosecutors separately indicted Castro on six counts of making materially false statements to the FBI about the shooting. Castro has pleaded not guilty to the federal charges; the state charges and the underlying dispute over whether his use of force was justified remain unresolved.
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
The Minnesota Attorney General's Office's release announcing four felony second-degree-assault counts and one misdemeanor false-reporting count against Castro, filed jointly with the Hennepin County Attorney's Office. It quotes the Hennepin County Attorney's Office's own press release directly, including its statement that the DHS release "along with its dozens of false statements, remains on the DHS website."
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Reporting
About this source
KARE 11's report of Moriarty's May 18, 2026 news conference announcing the charges. It quotes Moriarty saying Castro's "federal badge does not make him immune from state charges" and that Sosa-Celis and Aljorna "were here lawfully."
Before the quotation
Moriarty's office, with the Minnesota Attorney General's Office, filed four second-degree assault counts and one false-reporting count against Castro that day, alleging he was not attacked and fired through the closed door while alone in the yard.
After the quotation
Moriarty said Castro would not be eligible for a presidential pardon if convicted in state court, since the charges are under state law. Texas Gov. Greg Abbott subsequently refused to extradite Castro from Texas.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Moriarty expressly says Castro, not the men he shot at, committed the violent crime that night, and rejects the idea that his federal role excuses his conduct. That is a direct condemnation of the shooting.
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Read the full caseAmnesty condemns the shooting
Amnesty International
“unlawful use of lethal force”Read statement
Justice Department says indictment challenges Castro's account of the shooting
United States Department of Justice
“Castro was indicted on six counts of knowingly and willfully making materially false statements to the FBI during the interview on or about Jan. 14.”Read statement
ACLU of Minnesota calls the shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis a shocking attack
ACLU of Minnesota
“According to criminal charges later filed against Castro by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, Castro fired through the closed front door while standing in the front yard and under no physical threat. The bullet struck Sosa-Celis before entering the wall of a child’s bedroom. This shocking attack occurred at the height of Operation Metro Surge, during which federal agents committed some of the most flagrant constitutional violations we have witnessed in the United States since the civil rights era.”Read statement
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- Moriarty says Castro, not Sosa-Celis, “committed” the violent crime that night
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The Dispute Index. "Moriarty says Castro, not Sosa-Celis, “committed” the violent crime that night". First published: 2026-09-22. Last updated: 2026-09-22. https://disputeindex.com/events/1402-announcing-state-charges-against-castro-hennepin-county-attorney