Mary Moriarty
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.”
KARE 11's report of Moriarty's May 18, 2026 news conference announcing the charges, read in full on 2026-09-22. 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."
Why we used this label
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.