Feds make arrests in connection to anti-ICE riot that saw federal vehicles vandalized and looted

One of the suspects is reported to be a confirmed Latin Kings gang member, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

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Crime Watch MN
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Raul Gutierrez/Hennepin County Sheriff's Office

The FBI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) each announced several arrests made on Thursday in connection to the north Minneapolis riot on Wednesday and a prior demonstration downtown where damage was caused at the federal courthouse. One of the suspects is reported to be a confirmed Latin Kings gang member, according to Attorney General Pam Bondi.

Mayhem broke out just before 7 p.m. Wednesday after reports began to surface of another ICE-involved shooting, this time in north Minneapolis. Initial reports indicated that one or two people had been shot in the legs and that an ICE agent had been assaulted by bystanders with a shovel.

Several other rumors spread that were ultimately unsubstantiated but not before a large, unruly crowd gathered at the scene near 24th Avenue North and North 6th Street.

The federal agents who were initially at the scene were evacuated; at least one was injured and hospitalized after being “violently assault[ed],” as was one Venezuelan illegal alien who had been confirmed shot in the incident, according to a statement later released by DHS.

In the ensuing chaos, several federal vehicles had been left behind at the scene. More federal law enforcement arrived, along with local law enforcement, and police attempted to control the crowd with tear gas and flash bang grenades. The standoff went on for hours, giving rioters the opportunity to strip and damage the federal vehicles that had been left behind.

Livestreams from the scene showed several suspects damaging and breaking into the vehicles, where personal property, official documents, agents’ identification, and apparent guns and ammunition were stolen. Information from the documents, along with names, phone numbers, and emails of agents were broadcast in the livestreams.

On Thursday, the FBI announced up to a $100,000 reward for information leading to the recovery of the stolen federal property and arrest of the individuals involved.

By Thursday afternoon, arrests began to be announced in connection to the original assault on ICE agents, and arrests of other suspects at the riot.

DHS announced the arrest of three Venezuelan illegal aliens, including Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, who was the first suspect who fled from the agents and crashed his vehicle. The earlier statement indicated that Sosa-Celis had been shot in the leg during the original incident.

Also arrested were Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma and Alfredo Alejandro Ajorna, both illegal aliens from Venezuela, who were reportedly involved in the shovel and broomstick attack on the ICE agent.

Next came the arrest of Raul Gutierrez (top photo), 33, who a source confirmed to Crime Watch was arrested with the assistance of the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi stated in a post that Minneapolis ATF and the DOJ executed an arrest on a “known member of the Latin Kings gang,” in apparent reference to Gutierrez. Bondi said Gutierrez is alleged to have stolen FBI body armor and weaponry, and has a long list of prior violent crimes.

A check of Minnesota court records shows Gutierrez has numerous past convictions including discharging a weapon on Nicollet Avenue during a domestic incident, drugs, financial card fraud, domestic strangulation, and multiple driving offenses.

On Friday, Gutierrez was federally charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and theft of government property.

Next, DHS announced the arrest of an unnamed male they said was a U.S. citizen who assaulted officers while carrying a firearm during the north Minneapolis riot.

DHS said the individual showed up to the protest with a gun and a box of ammunition in a bag and threatened violence against law enforcement officers while pointing at his bag. After law enforcement deployed crowd control measures to calm an increasingly volatile crowd, the individual kicked a metal smoke canister at officers. He then pushed an officer, and he was arrested for assault. While being arrested, the suspect stated he had a firearm, which was located along with a box of ammunition. The suspect was not in possession of a carry permit at the time of his arrest. “This is not the peaceful protesting that the First Amendment protects,” DHS said.

Another unrelated arrest was announced by the FBI in connection to a protest last week following the ICE-involved fatal shooting of Renee Good, during which protesters amassed outside the federal courthouse in downtown Minneapolis. Livestream videos at the time showed that protesters had broken windows and attempted to forcefully enter the locked courthouse.

The FBI said Thursday that Georgio James-Jones, of Minneapolis, had been arrested for allegedly destroying federal property and smashing windows while attempting to breach the federal courthouse. “As we’ve said repeatedly – if you attack law enforcement, impede their operations, or engage in violent destructive behavior, this FBI will find you and bring you to justice,” FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement.

Additionally, DHS announced that 12 people were arrested for assaulting law enforcement Thursday night outside the Whipple Federal Building.

The agency also said 11 vehicles used by federal law enforcement were vandalized outside an Eagan hotel overnight.

Alpha News will continue to follow developments in further arrests as well as the escalating protests around the Minneapolis area, in which President Donald Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act if the violent unrest continues.

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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.

 

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Minnesota Crime Watch & Information publishes news, info and commentary about crime, public safety and livability issues in Minneapolis, the Twin Cities and Greater Minnesota.

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