Former ICE agent makes first Hennepin Co. court appearance over Minneapolis shooting
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Former ICE agent Christian Castro made his first court appearance in Hennepin County Thursday afternoon as he faces charges related to a shooting in Minneapolis during Operation Metro Surge.
Former ICE agent due in court Thursday
Former ICE agent Christian Castro is set to make his first Hennepin County court appearance on state assault charges after returning from Texas and surrendering in Minneapolis.
ICE agent in court
What we know:
Castro was booked into Hennepin County Jail Wednesday afternoon, months after he was arrested in Texas on charges of assault for allegedly shooting a man in the leg. Castro's attorney tells FOX 9 Castro had driven up from Texas for the purpose of turning himself in.
Castro was held in a Brownsville, Texas jail for weeks as his extradition was dragged out by Texas authorities. Ultimately, he was released in August as he hit a detainment limit under Texas law.
In court, Castro had bail set at $200,000 with conditions. Castro also agreed to a waiver of any future extradition proceedings.
Dig deeper:
Governor Greg Abbott never made a decision on moving forward with Castro's extradition to Minnesota. Abbott said he wasn't sure Castro met the definition of a "fugitive" under the law since he had been ordered to return to Texas by DHS – and hadn't left Minnesota to escape the criminal case.
Castro charged in shooting
The backstory:
Castro is charged with the shooting of a Venezuelan immigrant in January.
Castro claimed he shot Julio Sosa-Celis after being attacked with a shovel and broom while attempting to make an arrest. However, surveillance video and witness statements ultimately contradicted his story.
Sosa-Celis was struck in the leg but survived his injuries. His family told FOX 9 Sosa-Celis is in the country legally under Temporary Protected Status.
The shooting came one week after the killing of Renee Good and ten days before the shooting of Alex Pretti and led to a night of unrest in north Minneapolis.
Castro facing federal charges
Big picture view:
On top of the state charges, Castro was federally indicted in September for making false statements. Castro is due to appear in federal court on Friday to face that case.
If Castro is unable to make bail ahead of his federal court appearance, Moriarty anticipates that U.S. Marshals will just retrieve him from the Hennepin County Jail.
The Source: Hennepin County jail and court records and past FOX 9 reporting.