ICE Officer Indicted for Allegedly Lying About Minneapolis Shooting Incident

A federal grand jury indicted an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, Christian Castro, for allegedly lying to authorities about details that led up to the shooting of an illegal Venezuelan national earlier this year in Minnesota.

The federal grand jury returned the indictment on Sept. 2, and the Department of Justice (DOJ) announced the development in a news release on Friday.

The shooting occurred Jan. 14 during Operation Metro Surge, when immigration officials converged on Minneapolis as part of an effort to detain and deport illegal immigrants.

Castro, an eight-year veteran of Border Patrol prior to joining ICE last September, attempted to conduct a vehicle stop along with his partner, but the Venezuelan man fled. The chase evolved to a foot pursuit, leading to the front yard of the foreign national’s duplex residence, where Castro tried apprehending him.

Later the same day, Castro detailed the moments leading up to the shooting in an interview with the FBI, but several of those statements were false, according to the indictment.

The ICE agent alleged that, as he tried to put handcuffs on the Venezuelan man, another unknown man grabbed a red broom off the front porch of the duplex and began hitting him with it. Castro claimed a third man had exited the residence, retrieved a black snow shovel, and also began attacking him.

“This statement and representation was false,” the indictment read. “No person struck Castro with a broom. … No person struck Castro with a snow shovel.”

Castro claimed the initial man he attempted to apprehend also began attacking him alongside the other two before they all began running back inside. The ICE agent retrieved his gun and fired a single shot—from the ground—toward the group, which went through the front door of the residence and struck the Venezuelan man in the leg.

Multiple other individuals were inside at the time of the gunshot, including two 1-year-old children.

During Castro’s interview with the FBI, he told authorities he believed he was on the ground wrestling with the man he tried to apprehend for three minutes.

According to the indictment, the physical altercation lasted 11 seconds.

“Castro was not seated or lying on his back when he discharged his firearm toward the fleeing men, but rather was standing,” the indictment said.

About a month after the shooting, acting ICE Director Todd Lyons said it appeared Castro and his partner had lied about the incident. He made that determination based on video evidence of the incident. Both agents were placed on leave.

“The men and women of ICE are entrusted with upholding the rule of law and are held to the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, and ethical conduct,” Lyons said. “Violations of this sacred sworn oath will not be tolerated. ICE remains fully committed to transparency, accountability, and the fair enforcement of our nation’s immigration laws.”

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty charged Castro on May 18 with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of falsely reporting a crime.

In a statement, Moriarty said federal agents are not immune from state prosecution.

“Mr. Castro is an ICE agent. But his federal badge does not make him immune from state charges for his criminal conduct in Minnesota,” Moriarty said.

A nationwide warrant was issued for Castro’s arrest.

Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents and Texas rangers apprehended him in Texas on May 29.

Minnesota officials welcomed Castro’s arrest and demanded he be extradited, which received pushback from Texas officials.

“First of all, I don’t trust Tim Walz on anything, let alone something like this,” Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said. “While they’re making demands, I got a demand of my own, and that is, it’s time for Minnesota to step up and repay the United States of America and Americans for all the fraud that they have committed in their state under federal programs.”

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison sued Abbott, accusing him of shielding Castro from being held accountable for the charges. The suit attempted to have a judge compel the governor to extradite the former ICE agent.

The judge said he was “not inclined” to do so.

Castro had been released from custody in Texas after the judge declined to order his extradition, but he was arrested again Thursday following the grand jury indictment.

His attorney, David Lindenmuth, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.