Two US federal agents placed on leave for allegedly lying under oath about a Minneapolis shooting that wounded a Venezuelan immigrant, leading to dropped charges.
WASHINGTON: Two US federal agents have been placed on administrative leave and are under investigation for allegedly lying under oath about a shooting in Minneapolis last month.
The incident left Venezuelan immigrant Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis wounded in the leg.
“Video evidence has revealed that sworn testimony provided by two separate officers appears to have made untruthful statements,” said Todd Lyons, acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
“Lying under oath is a serious federal offense,” Lyons added in a statement confirming the internal probe.
Federal prosecutors dropped assault charges against Sosa-Celis and another man, Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna, one day before the announcement.
US Attorney Daniel Rosen said the charges were dismissed due to “newly discovered evidence” that was “materially inconsistent” with the initial complaint.
The Department of Homeland Security’s original account stated an “illegal alien from Venezuela” resisted a traffic stop.
It claimed two other individuals emerged from a nearby apartment and attacked the officer with a snow shovel and broom handle.
The officer then “fired a defensive shot to defend his life,” according to the initial statement.
The shooting occurred amid a highly politicised immigration crackdown in Minneapolis ordered by President Donald Trump.
It came one week after a federal agent in the same city shot and killed 37-year-old American citizen Renee Good, a mother of three.
A second US citizen was killed by agents in late January, fueling national backlash.
The killings, along with videos of masked agents and reports of flimsy evidence, have contributed to a steep drop in Trump’s approval ratings.
Trump’s immigration enforcement chief, Tom Homan, announced the administration was winding down its aggressive operation in Minnesota.
Campaigning against illegal immigration was a key factor in Trump’s 2024 election victory.
The Sun Malaysia
