Federal Agents Shoot, Kill Man in Minnesota Amid Unrest

Photographer: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images

(Bloomberg) — Federal agents shot and killed a man believed to be a US citizen in Minneapolis on Saturday, the latest incident of law-enforcement violence amid an immigration crackdown that has sparked massive protests across the state.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said at a news conference with other local officials that the 37-year-old man had multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at a local hospital. O’Hara said the victim had no criminal record beyond traffic tickets and had a permit to carry a weapon.

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Donald Trump quickly backed the federal officials and accused Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of “inciting Insurrection” with their rhetoric. Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said in a separate statement that the man approached Border Patrol officers with a semiautomatic handgun and “violently resisted” attempts to disarm him.

“Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots,” she said in a statement.

McLaughlin said the suspect had two magazines and no identification, adding, “This looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.”

Frey described a video ostensibly of the shooting that was circulating online.

“I just saw a video of more than six masked agents pummeling one of our constituents and shooting him to death,” Frey said.

“We have since seen a video that is circulating online, like thousands of other people have at this time, so we do not know what happened prior to the recording that is on online right now,” O’Hara said. “I believe the FBI is on the scene as well, but I think the video speaks for itself.”

Federal agents spraying tear gas at protesters in Minneapolis, MN.Source: Bloomberg

O’Hara urged the community to remain calm. Massive protests have engulfed Minneapolis as thousands of federal agents have swarmed the Twin Cities in what they call a targeted enforcement to remove undocumented immigrants.

““Much of what you’re witnessing is a COVER UP for this Theft and Fraud,” Trump said in a social media post, referring to a state fraud case allegedly conducted in part by Somali immigrants. “The Mayor and the Governor are inciting Insurrection, with their pompous, dangerous, and arrogant rhetoric!”

The federal presence has led to the shooting death of at least one other American, Renee Good, who was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer when he stopped her for partly blocking a street with her car, claiming she tried to run him over. Federal agents have used tear gas and other violent crowd-control techniques to quell the protests, but their actions have only made residents more angry.

“Our demand today is for those federal agencies that are operating in our city to do so with the same discipline, humanity and integrity that effective law enforcement in this country demands,” O’Hara said, while encouraging protesters “to remain peaceful.”

Protesters gathered and screamed profanities at federal officers, calling them “cowards” and telling them to go home, while some also chanted Good’s name. One officer responded mockingly as he walked away, telling them: “Boo hoo,” according to The Associated Press. Agents elsewhere shoved a yelling protester into a car.

O’Hara said the protesters constituted an “unlawful assembly” and police were warning the crowd to disperse.

O’Hara and Frey, along with Walz, all called on President Donald Trump to end the operation.

“How many more residents, how many more Americans need to die or get badly hurt for this operation to end? How many more lives need to be lost before this administration realizes that a political and partisan narrative is not as important as American values?” Frey said.

The administration has expanded its immigration crackdown to Maine focused on arresting immigrants from Somalia, the same group that inspired Trump’s operation in Minnesota.

Several Somali-Americans were involved in a large social-service fraud case, being prosecuted by the Minnesota, which the White House used as a reason to begin the crackdown. Trump has called Somali immigrants “garbage,” and demanded their removal, even though many in both states are US citizens.

“To President Trump: This is a moment to act like a leader, put Minneapolis, put America first in this moment, let’s achieve peace,” Frey said. “Let’s end this operation. And I’m telling you, our city will come back. Safety will be restored. We’re asking for you to take action now to remove these federal agents.”

O’Hara said he had asked the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to investigate the shooting.

Walz said separately that he had spoken to the White House to call for the end of federal operations in his state and that Minnesota authorities should lead the investigation.

“I just spoke with the White House after another horrific shooting by federal agents this morning,” Walz wrote in a post on X. “Minnesota has had it. This is sickening.”

(Updates throughout with details)