ICE Arrests Venezuelan National for Alleged Role in Tren de Aragua-Linked Chicago Shooting That Killed Three

A Venezuelan immigrant and former teacher in Illinois was arrested by federal agents after being accused of collaborating with the alleged perpetrators of a mass shooting in Chicago linked to the Tren de Aragua, a transnational criminal organization originating in Venezuela. The woman is being held at the Grayson County Detention Center in Leitchfield, Kentucky.

In a statement released by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), reported the arrest of Giovanna Mercedes Moreno Occhipinti, 32, a Venezuelan citizen who allegedly remained in the United States illegally after her visa had expired. The operation was carried out by agents of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

According to federal authorities, Moreno Occhipinti is accused of participating in the shooting that occurred on December 2, 2024 at a social gathering in Chicago, where three people were killed and five others were injured.

According to the investigation, conducted by the Chicago Police Department in collaboration with federal agencies, the woman allegedly drove the two suspected attackers to the scene of the crime and subsequently helped them escape. The suspects were identified as Ricardo Granadillo Padilla and Edward Martinez Cermeno, who, according to authorities, have ties to the Venezuelan criminal gang Tren de Aragua.

According to DHS, the woman was arrested by the Chicago Police Department shortly after the December 2024 shooting. However, she was later released without local authorities notifying ICE of her release, even though the federal agency was seeking to take her into custody.

“Although Chicago police arrested this illegal alien shortly after the shooting, sanctuary politicians released her from jail without notifying ICE,” said Lauren Bis, acting undersecretary of DHS, said in a statement.

"Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, DHS is doing the job that sanctuary politicians in Illinois refuse to do: putting the American people first and removing these dangerous criminals from our communities," she added.

According to Fox News, Occhipinti was a teacher in Elgin, a Chicago suburb, although local authorities have not publicly disclosed the name of the school.

"Giovanna Mercedes Moreno Occhipinti’s actions were calculated and deliberate, leading to the loss of three lives. I’m proud of our agents for pursuing this case to the end, ensuring that everyone who helped facilitate this mass homicide is brought to justice," said Matthew Scarpino, special agent in charge of the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) office in Chicago.