Video brings new scrutiny to an ICE shooting in Minneapolis after
charges against 2 men collapsed
[April 07, 2026]
By STEVE KARNOWSKI
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The city of Minneapolis released a video Monday
showing a chase and scuffle that ended in a nonfatal shooting in January
and the suspensions of two federal officers involved in the Trump
administration's immigration crackdown in Minnesota.
The video — from a city-owned security camera — captured part of the
incident in which federal officers chased a Venezuelan man to his
residence. Another Venezuelan man who lives there was shot during the
confrontation. Federal authorities in February dropped all charges
against the two immigrants and opened a criminal investigation into
whether two immigration officers lied under oath about what had
happened.
The city released the video after the New York Times, which obtained a
copy earlier, reported that the footage raised questions about why it
took weeks for the federal government's case against the two men to
collapse. The Times reported that federal investigators had access to
the video within hours of the Jan. 14 shooting, but did not watch it
until nearly three weeks after they had charged the two men.
“The video makes it crystal clear that, just like in other situations
during Operation Metro Surge, the federal government’s account of what
happened simply does not match the facts,” Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey
said in a statement.
Federal authorities initially accused Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna and
Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis of beating an ICE officer with a broom handle and
a snow shovel during the incident. The officer fired a single shot from
his handgun, striking Sosa-Celis in his right thigh. Protesters quickly
flocked to the scene and clashed with other officers, who were wearing
gas masks and helmets.
The city provided no narrative on what the video depicts except to say
that it was “related” to the shooting. A statement added, “The City has
no additional information and will not be making further comments at
this time.”
The video, shot from a distance in the dark, appears to show a person
standing with a snow shovel outside the house, near the street, then
retreating toward the house and tossing the shovel into the yard. This
happens as a person being chased by another person runs up from the
street, falls on the sidewalk, gets up, and keeps heading toward the
house.
The three appear to scuffle near the front steps for about 10 seconds.
The exact moment when Sosa-Celis is shot isn’t clear. A car with
flashing lights pulls up, and another person walks up.
The camera actively panned over to view the street where the incident
happened before any vehicles arrived, indicating that someone may have
been manually controlling it in real time.
The cases against Aljorna and Sosa-Celis were dropped after a highly
unusual motion from the chief federal prosecutor for Minnesota, U.S.
Attorney Daniel Rosen, who said “newly discovered evidence” was
“materially inconsistent with the allegations” that were made in the
criminal complaint and with evidence presented at a hearing at their
preliminary hearing. He said dismissal with prejudice, which meant the
charges couldn't be refiled, “would serve the interests of justice.”
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Law enforcement officers stand amid tear gas at the scene of a
reported shooting, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam
Gray, File)
Rosen and other federal prosecutors involved in the case, as well as
the Department of Justice, did not immediately respond to requests
for comment from The Associated Press on Monday.
Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not mention the video in a
statement, but reaffirmed its earlier statement that two officers
involved appeared to have given untruthful testimony under oath, and
that they were immediately placed on administrative leave pending
completion of an internal investigation. Their names were not made
public.
“Lying under oath is a serious federal offense. The U.S. Attorney’s
Office is actively investigating these false statements,” the ICE
statement said. “Upon conclusion of the investigation, the officers
may face termination of employment, as well as potential criminal
prosecution.”
The statement did not elaborate on the status of their case.
Aljorna's attorney did not immediately return a call seeking
comment. Sosa-Celis' attorney, Robin Wolpert, said, “The video is
evidence in ongoing state and federal investigations so I can't
comment."
Both men are free while they seek legal status. They were ordered
released even before the criminal charges were dropped, but ICE took
them back into custody for alleged immigration violations before
releasing them, again under court order.
State and county prosecutors have been frustrated by the refusal of
federal authorities to share information on the incident, as well as
the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal
officers. They sued the Trump administratio n late last month for
access to evidence they say they need to independently investigate
the three shootings.
The Hennepin County Attorney's Office declined to comment on the
video, citing the active investigation.
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