MINNEAPOLIS — A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent sought on state charges related to a January shooting in Minneapolis was taken into custody Wednesday and booked into the Hennepin County Jail, officials said.
Arrest follows federal release in Texas
Federal and state officials said Christian Castro was arrested by agents from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension downtown after arriving in Minnesota from Texas under an agreement with local authorities. Prosecutors in Hennepin County allege Castro fired a weapon and gave false information to federal supervisors following the Jan. 14 incident, which left a Venezuelan man wounded.
Castro had been held in federal custody in Texas on a separate federal indictment that accuses him of making false statements to investigators. He was released on bond earlier this month after an initial federal court appearance in McAllen, Texas.
State charges and bail
Hennepin County prosecutors have charged Castro with multiple counts tied to the Minneapolis shooting, including second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon and falsely reporting a crime. He was booked at about 4 p.m. Wednesday and his bail was set at $200,000, according to court records. A first court appearance in the state matter was scheduled for Thursday.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Arresting agency | Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension |
| Location booked | Hennepin County Jail |
| Charges (state) | Multiple counts of second-degree assault; one count of falsely reporting a crime |
| Bail | $200,000 |
How the arrest unfolded
Castro had traveled from Texas to Minnesota intending to surrender to state authorities at his attorney’s office, one of his lawyers told reporters. Under the arrangement, he would turn himself in, but Minnesota agents picked him up moments before his scheduled arrival, the agency said. A second attorney representing Castro disputed public suggestions he might flee, saying his client intended to face the charges.
"He wants his day in court."
The shooting occurred during a high-profile federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis earlier this year, part of a broader round of sweeps that drew nationwide attention and local protests. That operation, known in federal documents as a surge deployment, included multiple arrests and several confrontations between immigration officers and people in the community. The episode has been the subject of overlapping federal and state investigations.
Victim and immediate aftermath
Local prosecutors say the victim, a Venezuelan national, was struck in the leg when a shot was fired through an apartment door during the confrontation. The incident reportedly took place while children were present in the home. Initial accounts from the Department of Homeland Security characterized the shooting as a defensive action, but federal investigators later scrutinized officers’ statements after reviewing video evidence.
Minneapolis police and state prosecutors subsequently pursued criminal charges in the case. Authorities earlier dropped criminal charges against two men caught up in the same Jan. 14 events and later identified discrepancies between officer accounts and video evidence that prompted further inquiry.
Legal context and next steps
The federal indictment against Castro, for allegedly making false statements, marked a rare Justice Department prosecution of a federal law enforcement officer tied to the Minneapolis enforcement operation. His arrest in Minneapolis on state counts means he faces parallel legal exposure in both federal and state systems.
- Castro was arrested Wednesday and booked into Hennepin County Jail.
- He faces multiple state charges, including second-degree assault and falsely reporting a crime, with bail set at $200,000.
- He was recently released from federal custody in Texas after an indictment alleging false statements.
Castro has not entered a plea in the state case. Federal court action remains separate and could proceed independently of the state prosecution. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office declined to comment beyond charging information; spokespeople for the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to requests for further comment late Wednesday.
The case continues to draw attention locally because it arises from a controversial enforcement operation that prompted protests, scrutiny of law enforcement conduct and multiple investigations. Residents and civil-rights groups have urged transparency and accountability in the aftermath of the January actions. Prosecutors and investigators say they will continue to review evidence and pursue criminal charges where warranted.
— Soren Halvorsen, WE NEWS
