Federal Officer Shoots Man in Minneapolis, Protests Erupt Amid ICE Crackdown

A federal law enforcement officer shot a man in the leg during an enforcement operation in north Minneapolis on Wednesday evening, triggering protests in a city already tense after the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by a federal agent last week.

Witnesses said the shooting happened around 7pm local time. Hundreds of demonstrators gathered at the scene, where federal agents sealed off the area and used smoke and other crowd-control measures. Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara said protesters were engaging in unlawful actions and urged people to disperse.

Mayor Jacob Frey strongly criticized ICE’s conduct, calling it “disgusting and intolerable,” but also asked protesters to go home, warning that further disorder would not help undocumented residents. “We can’t respond to chaos with more chaos,” he said.

Legal aid and mutual aid groups reported concerns that a pregnant woman who needed medical care may not have been able to reach a doctor. O’Hara said police could not confirm that claim, adding that emergency services received a call about a woman experiencing an anxiety attack inside the building where the operation occurred. The city later confirmed that the man who was shot was taken to a hospital with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening.

The Department of Homeland Security did not respond directly to media questions but said on social media that federal officers were conducting a targeted traffic stop of a Venezuelan national. DHS claimed the individual resisted and attacked officers, and that two others joined the confrontation, prompting an officer to fire a shot in self-defense. The Guardian has not independently verified these claims.

The incident comes as thousands of immigration officers are operating in or deploying to Minnesota as part of what the Trump administration has described as the largest DHS operation ever. The heightened enforcement has disrupted daily life, with residents organizing volunteer patrols, legal observers, food deliveries, and transportation for children as many families are afraid to leave their homes.

Since Good’s death on 7 January, protests against aggressive immigration enforcement have spread nationwide, with officers using tear gas, pepper balls, and stun grenades against demonstrators. Officials have defended these actions, citing federal immunity.

Minnesota governor Tim Walz addressed residents earlier Wednesday, urging them to document ICE actions to preserve evidence for future legal action. He accused federal agents of carrying out a campaign of brutality and encouraged Minnesotans to record what is happening in their communities, saying accountability would come through courts and elections.