Federal Officer Shoots Man in Leg in Minneapolis After Being Attacked with Shovel
A federal officer shot a man in the leg during an attempted arrest in Minneapolis on Wednesday night, adding to already high tensions in the city following the fatal shooting of a local woman by an ICE agent last week.
What happened?
The Department of Homeland Security said the incident began with a targeted traffic stop involving a Venezuelan national who officials say was in the country illegally. According to the DHS, the man tried to get away, crashed his car into a parked vehicle and then ran. An officer caught up with him, but a struggle broke out.
DHS said that while the officer and the man were on the ground, two other people came out of a nearby apartment and attacked the officer using a snow shovel and a broom handle. The department said the original suspect then broke free and also began striking the officer. “Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired defensive shots to defend his life,” DHS said, adding that the man was hit in the leg.
The injured man and the officer were taken to hospital, with officials saying the man’s injuries were not life-threatening. The two other people involved were taken into custody.
Soon after the shooting, protesters gathered near the scene in north Minneapolis, where clashes later broke out between demonstrators and police. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said officers were hit with fireworks, rocks, ice and snowballs as the situation escalated.
Leaders urge citizens to remain calm, ask ICE to leave immediately
City leaders have urged people to stay calm. In a post on social media, Minneapolis officials said: “We understand there is anger. We ask the public to remain calm.” They again called on federal immigration authorities to leave the city and the state immediately.
Mayor Jacob Frey said the growing federal presence was putting Minneapolis in an impossible position. Calling the situation “not sustainable,” he pointed to the contrast between the city’s roughly 600 police officers and the estimated 3,000 federal agents now deployed in Minnesota.
Governor Tim Walz also weighed in on the situation, demanding an end to what he described as an “occupation” by ICE officers. “Angry is not a strong enough word,” he said in a video message, while urging residents not to respond with violence.
The latest shooting comes exactly a week after ICE officer Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, during an immigration operation. Federal officials say the officer acted in self-defense, but city and state leaders dispute that account, citing video footage that appears to show Good trying to drive away.
Good’s death sparked protests in Minneapolis and beyond, and the FBI is investigating both incidents. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is also processing evidence from Wednesday night’s shooting.
As demonstrations continue, the city remains on edge, caught between anger over aggressive immigration enforcement and fears that further clashes could spiral out of control.
