New video appears to undermine claims by the federal government regarding an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent who shot a Venezuelan migrant in January.
The footage, published Monday by the New York Times, contradicts the agent's claim that three attackers, including Julio C. Sosa-Celis, had assaulted him with a shovel and broom for roughly three minutes before he opened fire, hitting Sosa-Celis on January 14 in Minneapolis.
But the confrontation caught on surveillance camera actually lasted about 12 seconds and depicted two men struggling with the agent. The shovel attack, as alleged, did not occur, according to the footage.
"What we saw last night in Minneapolis was an attempted murder of federal law enforcement," Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in January regarding the incident. "Our officer was ambushed and attacked by three individuals who beat him with snow shovels and the handles of brooms. Fearing for his life, the officer fired a defensive shot."
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to inquiries about the video, including whether the agency had reviewed the footage before detailing the incident publicly, the Times reported.
Federal authorities had access to the footage within hours of the shooting, yet prosecutors did not watch the clip until nearly three weeks after they filed charges against Sosa-Celis, 24, and one of his roommates, Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna, 26, the New York Times reported.
"Bare due diligence would have shown that the agents were lying," Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told the newspaper after viewing the video.
The footage, which was obtained via an open records request, conflicts with how the incident had been described by Noem and other federal officials, including that the ICE agent fired his weapon after three residents attacked him with a shovel and broom, according to the outlet.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said the newly obtained footage severely undermined the government's initial account.
The footage, published Monday by the New York Times, contradicts the agent's claim that three attackers, including Julio C. Sosa-Celis, had assaulted him with a shovel and broom for roughly three minutes before he opened fire, hitting Sosa-Celis on January 14 in Minneapolis.
But the confrontation caught on surveillance camera actually lasted about 12 seconds and depicted two men struggling with the agent. The shovel attack, as alleged, did not occur, according to the footage.
"What we saw last night in Minneapolis was an attempted murder of federal law enforcement," Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in January regarding the incident. "Our officer was ambushed and attacked by three individuals who beat him with snow shovels and the handles of brooms. Fearing for his life, the officer fired a defensive shot."
The Department of Homeland Security did not respond to inquiries about the video, including whether the agency had reviewed the footage before detailing the incident publicly, the Times reported.
Federal authorities had access to the footage within hours of the shooting, yet prosecutors did not watch the clip until nearly three weeks after they filed charges against Sosa-Celis, 24, and one of his roommates, Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna, 26, the New York Times reported.
"Bare due diligence would have shown that the agents were lying," Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey told the newspaper after viewing the video.
The footage, which was obtained via an open records request, conflicts with how the incident had been described by Noem and other federal officials, including that the ICE agent fired his weapon after three residents attacked him with a shovel and broom, according to the outlet.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said the newly obtained footage severely undermined the government's initial account.
