American attorney who has served as Hennepin County Attorney, Minnesota's top local prosecutor for the county that includes Minneapolis, since 2023. She previously served as Hennepin County's chief public defender.
Case
ICE officer Christian Castro shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in Minneapolis in January 2026. DHS initially called it self-defense against an armed ambush; ICE later said officers' sworn testimony appeared untruthful. Castro faces state assault and federal false-statement charges.
Role at the time: Hennepin County Attorney, at a news conference announcing the charges
Response to this claim
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.”
The case’s fixed reference point is whether Officer Christian Castro’s decision to fire his weapon during the January 14, 2026 encounter with Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis was justified. 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.
Statement dates: May 18, 2026
Statement dates: May 18, 2026
