ICE officials shoot civilian in Minneapolis - here's what we know

In a suspected shooting led by federal law officials of ICE in Minneapolis on Wednesday, a civilian woman was shot, senior state officials said as per KSTP The victim was inside a vehicle at the time of the incident.

City Council Vice President Jamal Osman said the woman was shot near the intersection of Portland Avenue and East 34th Street: part of the Powderhorn neighborhood in Minneapolis. After the shooting, a large crowd of protesters gathered at the scene. The woman’s condition and further details of the incident have been kept under wraps.

Police and officials at the Minneapolis

Law enforcement officials tried to calm the escalating situation after protesters gathered, as Minneapolis city officials and Minneapolis Police Department officers poured in at the location. City and police officials began efforts to clear the area for safety reasons, as stated in the report by KSTP.com.


Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said his team is being briefed on what happened. Gov. Walz later said the Department of Public Safety is working to learn more about the ICE-related shooting, as reported by FOX 9. In a tweet, Gov. Walz said, “We will share information as we learn more. In the meantime, I ask folks to remain calm.”

Mayor demands ICE leave Minneapolis

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey confirmed the city is aware of a shooting involving an ICE officer. Mayor Frey said the presence of ICE agents is creating problems in the city. “The presence of federal immigration enforcement agents is causing chaos in our city,” Mayor Frey said. Mayor Frey demanded that ICE leave Minneapolis immediately. “We’re demanding ICE to leave the city immediately,” Frey said. Mayor Frey also said, “We stand rock solid with our immigrant and refugee communities.”

U.S. Senator Tina Smith also called for ICE to leave Minnesota. Sen. Smith said ICE should leave the state “for everyone’s safety”, as cited by KSTP. The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office said it was not involved in the shooting. The sheriff’s office said it is sending deputies to help investigators if needed.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office is aware of the shooting involving ICE. Moriarty said her office is “pushing hard” for state and local investigators to review the incident. “We will use every available lever to ensure a local, transparent investigation takes place,” Moriarty said. Moriarty also said local review is the only way to ensure full transparency, as stated by FOX 9. She said her office has been in contact with law enforcement leaders, the Attorney General, and the Governor’s Office.

Clashes, warnings, and investigation continue

Around 10:46 a.m., officials said they were still collecting details about the shooting. At 10:54 a.m., Mayor Jacob Frey posted on social media and again asked ICE to leave Minneapolis. Around 11 a.m., federal agents and protesters faced off near the scene. Some protesters threw snowballs at the agents as the agents tried to get to their vehicles. Agents used chemical spray, like pepper balls, to push the crowd back.

For a short time, protesters surrounded a white truck and stopped agents from leaving. Later, agents cleared the crowd and left the area safely. The City of Minneapolis said it is aware of a shooting involving federal officers, according to FOX 9. The city asked people to stay away from East 34th Street and Portland Avenue. City Council Member Jason Chavez said Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino came to the scene.

The shooting comes as the Department of Homeland Security says ICE is carrying out its “largest ever” immigration enforcement operation. Officials said they are still working to confirm exactly what happened during the shooting, as per KSTP report.Authorities said more updates will be shared as information becomes available.

FAQs

Q1. Who was shot in the ICE-related incident in Minneapolis?

A civilian woman was shot by federal law enforcement linked to ICE in south Minneapolis.

Q2. Why are officials asking ICE to leave Minneapolis?

City and state leaders say ICE’s presence caused chaos and safety concerns after the shooting.