One person is dead following a fatal shooting involving U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis on Tuesday, an incident that has drawn sharp criticism from city and state officials and prompted multiple investigations.According to ICE, officers were conducting what the agency described as a targeted operation when a group of individuals began blocking officers from carrying out their duties. ICE alleges that during the confrontation, a woman used her vehicle in an attempt to strike officers, prompting an officer to fire his weapon in what the agency characterized as self-defence.The woman was struck by gunfire and later pronounced dead. ICE said several officers were injured during the incident and are expected to recover..Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey confirmed during a press conference that the woman was shot by ICE officers and died from her injuries. Frey forcefully rejected the federal agency’s account of the shooting.“They are already trying to spin this as an action of self-defence,” Frey said. “Having seen the video myself, I want to tell everybody directly: that is bullshit. This was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying.”Frey said city officials had long warned that federal immigration operations could escalate into violence.“They are not here to cause safety in this city,” he said. “What they are doing is causing chaos and distrust. They’re ripping families apart. They’re sowing chaos on our streets and, in this case, quite literally killing people.”.The mayor said that after learning of the shooting, the city’s immediate priorities were to provide medical care to the victim and her family and to remove federal officers from the scene.“There were dozens, if not hundreds, of ICE and federal officers that were there at the time,” Frey said, adding that their presence was “only causing more chaos.”In one of his strongest remarks, Frey directly addressed the federal agency, saying: “I do have a message for ICE: get the fuck out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here.”.Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz echoed the mayor’s criticism during a separate press conference on Monday, confirming that state officials learned earlier that day that an ICE officer had shot and killed a person in Minneapolis.“My deepest condolences to the family, to the loved ones who had to learn about this tragic event on national television,” Walz said.Walz said his administration had warned for weeks that federal immigration enforcement actions posed a public safety risk.“We have been warning for weeks that the Trump administration’s dangerous, sensationalized operations are a threat to our public safety,” Walz said. “What we’re seeing is the consequence of governance designed to generate fear, headlines, and conflict. Today, that recklessness cost someone their life.”The governor said he had contacted the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and was awaiting a response. He also urged Minnesotans to remain peaceful while expressing their anger..“I feel your anger. I’m angry,” Walz said. “If you protest and express your First Amendment rights, please do so peacefully. We cannot give them what they want.”Walz announced that the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is working in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to investigate the shooting. He also said the state emergency operations centre had been activated and that state and local agencies were coordinating in response.“We do not need any further help from the federal government,” Walz said. He added that he had issued a warning order to prepare the Minnesota National Guard in the event of further unrest, stressing that no deployment had yet occurred.“These are Minnesotans,” Walz said of Guard members. “Teachers, business owners, construction professionals. Minnesota will not allow our community to be used as a prop in a national political fight.”.Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed that Minneapolis police officers were not involved in the shooting but responded after reports of a deadly force incident involving federal law enforcement.Officers arrived on Portland Avenue between 33rd and 34th streets to find a woman suffering from a gunshot wound to the head, O’Hara said.“Life-saving measures were performed at the scene, including CPR,” O’Hara said. “The woman was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center, where she was pronounced deceased.”Preliminary information indicates the woman was inside her vehicle and blocking the roadway when a federal officer approached her on foot. O’Hara said the vehicle then began to drive away, at which point at least two shots were fired. The vehicle subsequently crashed along the side of the roadway..The scene was secured by Minneapolis police and later turned over to federal and state investigators.State Public Safety Commissioner Bob Jacobson said officials expect demonstrations in response to the shooting and urged residents to protest safely and lawfully.“Minnesotans have the right to peacefully demonstrate,” Jacobson said. “Our role is to ensure everyone can express themselves without anyone getting hurt.”Both city and state officials emphasized that investigations remain in their early stages and cautioned against speculation.ICE said the situation remains under investigation and that additional information will be released as it becomes available.
