An ICE agent was involved in a shooting incident, marking the second shooting in Minneapolis within two weeks, following the recent death of Renee Good. The city of Minneapolis faced turmoil as protestors gathered on the streets in response to the shooting.
Tensions escalated in Minnesota’s largest city after a federal agency officer shot a man in the leg, adding to the already charged atmosphere due to the killing of Ms. Goode by Officer Jonathon Ross on January 7.
City officials urged for peace and repeated calls for the organization to leave the city and state immediately, as images captured clashes on the streets.
In a statement with political undertones invoking Joe Biden, the Department of Homeland Security stated that the victim was a Venezuelan migrant who allegedly attempted to attack an ICE officer.
According to a department spokesperson, the altercation began during a targeted traffic stop of an undocumented Venezuelan migrant released into the country by the Biden administration. The migrant reportedly tried to escape, leading to a confrontation where two individuals allegedly attacked the officer with a snow shovel and broom handle.
The ICE agent fired his weapon after the initial target of the traffic stop allegedly attacked him with a shovel or broomstick. The DHS claimed the agent acted in self-defense, firing shots to protect his life. Both the officer and the individual who was shot were taken to the hospital for treatment.
Despite calls for ICE to leave the city and state immediately, the DHS rebutted, blaming the public for resisting ICE enforcement efforts, which have seen an increase in incidents involving American citizens.
The state of Minnesota is currently hosting around 3,000 ICE agents, deployed after the recent tragedy involving Renee Good. This deployment has been met with opposition, with Mayor Jacob Frey accusing ICE of causing disorder and Governor Tim Walz referring to the deployment as an “occupation.”