Minneapolis releases video of federal agent shooting venezuelan man

minneapolisofficials have released surveillance footage of a federal officer shooting a man on the city's north side in January. The chilling video shows the unidentified agent tackling the victim, Julio César Sosa-Celis, to the ground and struggling with him before firing at least once.

False narrative unraveled

Two Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents were placed on leave for lying under oath about the encounter. Initially, the Department of Homeland Security repeated the officers' false narrative that Sosa-Celis and another man assaulted them with a shovel and broomstick, leading to federal assault charges that were subsequently dropped.

The new video, captured on a city-owned camera about half a block from the shooting site, raises more questions than it answers. Due to the distance, poor quality, and lack of sound, it's unclear exactly when the shooting occurred, though officials confirm the footage does show the incident.

In the grainy footage, Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national, can be seen holding a shovel before tossing it aside as he's chased by a federal officer. The shovel remains on the ground throughout the encounter.

The video depicts a car driving onto a sidewalk before its driver gets out and is pursued on foot by the agent. Additional authorities are seen responding to the scene after the shooting.

minneapolis posted the footage publicly on its website, but offered no explanation or context. The incident occurred on January 14, just days after federal agents killed two people in minneapolis, sparking outrage and prompting the state's attorney general, Keith Ellison, to sue the Trump administration over the federal shootings.