A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer pleaded not guilty Friday to federal charges accusing him of misleading investigators about a January shooting in Minneapolis that wounded a Venezuelan man amid the Trump administration’s intensified push against illegal immigration.
Christian Castro appeared in federal court in Texas, where he is charged with six counts of making “materially false” statements to investigators, according to court records unsealed Friday.
Castro surrendered to authorities Thursday evening.
A judge allowed him to be released on a $75,000 unsecured bond, with the condition that he wear an ankle monitor while the case proceeds.
The indictment centers on the Jan. 14 shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national who was struck in the leg.
Just before the shooting, Castro and his partner had tried to stop a vehicle.
The driver, who is also a Venezuelan citizen, ran from the scene, prompting officers to chase him on foot.
Castro caught up with the driver, and the encounter escalated into a physical struggle, prosecutors allege in the indictment.
Sosa-Celis attempted to help the driver, and they both fled into a nearby apartment duplex and shut the door.
Castro drew his service weapon and fired a single shot through the front door, striking Sosa-Celis in the leg, federal prosecutors said.
Two 1-year-old children and two women were inside the home when Castro opened fire, prosecutors added.
In an attempt to justify the shooting, Castro allegedly told investigators he was brutally assaulted by multiple individuals wielding tools, claiming he was hit with a broom and a snow shovel during the confrontation.
He also claimed he was on his back when he fired toward the fleeing men, officials said.
However, video evidence later contradicted those statements, prompting an investigation.
Federal prosecutors said Castro was standing up when he opened fire, and they disputed his claim that he fought the suspect on the ground for three minutes, noting the struggle actually lasted about 11 seconds.
The shooting occurred amid a targeted crackdown on illegal immigration in Minneapolis.
Castro faces separate charges in Minnesota and was previously arrested in Texas in May.
His case has sparked a legal battle involving Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, who has refused to extradite him to Minnesota.
