An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot a Venezuelan man in the leg in Minneapolis on Wednesday night after being attacked with a shovel during an arrest operation, escalating tensions in a city already reeling from a fatal ICE shooting the previous week.
The incident occurred around 7 p.m. on January 14 in north Minneapolis, where ICE agents were conducting a targeted enforcement operation. According to the Department of Homeland Security, the man, who was in the U.S. illegally, initially fled in a vehicle, crashed, and then engaged in an altercation with an officer.
During the struggle, two other individuals emerged from a nearby apartment and attacked the ICE officer with a snow shovel and a broom handle. Fearing for his life, the officer fired defensive shots, striking the primary target in the leg. Both the officer and the wounded man were taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
This shooting comes just one week after ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good in south Minneapolis on January 7. Good’s death has sparked widespread protests and heightened animosity toward federal immigration authorities in the city.
In response to the latest incident, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Brian O’Hara held a news conference, calling for calm and accusing ICE of “creating chaos.” Frey emphasized the disproportionate presence of about 3,000 federal agents in the area compared to 600 local police officers.
The shooting prompted immediate clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement, with protesters gathering at the scene and throwing fireworks, ice, and snowballs at officers. City officials urged the public to remain peaceful while demanding that ICE leave Minneapolis and Minnesota immediately.
Political tensions flared further as U.S. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche blamed Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Frey for inciting violence, while Walz had earlier called on President Donald Trump to end the “occupation” of ICE officers in the state. The FBI is investigating the incident.
The event underscores the deepening conflict between federal immigration enforcement and local communities, with implications for national policy and civil liberties. As investigations proceed, the city faces ongoing challenges in maintaining order and addressing the root causes of immigration-related violence.
