Federal agents put on leave over ‘untruthful statements’ regarding Minnesota shooting

Two federal agents have been placed on administrative leave following an investigation by the Department of Justice and ICE into "untruthful statements" they allegedly made regarding the shooting of an undocumented immigrant, Julio Sosa Celis, on January 14. Celis and his partner, Alfredo Aljorna, were accused of attacking the federal agents with a shovel. While initially defended, new evidence, including video footage, has reportedly contradicted the officers' sworn testimony that they fired in self-defense. The U.S. Attorneys Office is investigating these alleged false statements. Both officers have been put on immediate leave pending the internal investigation. The shooting of Celis garnered less media attention compared to other incidents, partly due to a lack of video evidence. The case also involves legal disputes over the pretrial detention and release of Celis and Aljorna, with different judges issuing conflicting orders.