Federal agents in Minneapolis used tear gas and pepper spray to disperse protesters following a shooting involving a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer and a Venezuelan migrant, as tensions escalated in the city.
The confrontation followed an incident in which a federal officer shot a Venezuelan man during what the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described as a targeted traffic stop on January 14. According to DHS, the stop occurred around 6:50 p.m. when officers attempted to stop a man they said was in the United States illegally.
DHS said the man fled the scene in his vehicle, crashed into a parked car, and then attempted to escape on foot. When the officer caught up with him, two other individuals reportedly emerged from a nearby apartment and joined the confrontation.
“Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life,” DHS said in a statement.
The man was shot in the leg and taken to hospital with injuries described as non-life-threatening. The officer involved was also transported to hospital, although the nature of the injuries was not disclosed. The two other individuals were later arrested after barricading themselves inside the apartment.
Following the shooting, protesters gathered near the scene, where clashes broke out between demonstrators and law enforcement officers. Authorities said some protesters threw snowballs and fireworks at officers, prompting federal agents and Minneapolis Police Department personnel to deploy chemical irritants, including tear gas and pepper spray, to disperse the crowd.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara declared the gathering an unlawful assembly and ordered protesters to leave the area immediately.
“This is already a very tense situation, and we do not need this to escalate any further,” O’Hara said.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz confirmed that state investigators were at the scene and urged residents to remain calm.
“I know you’re angry. I’m angry,” Walz said. “What Donald Trump wants is violence in the streets. But Minnesota will remain an island of decency, of justice, of community, and of peace. Don’t give him what he wants.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey described the situation as unsustainable and appealed for peaceful demonstrations, warning against further escalation between protesters, local police, and federal agents.
City officials said investigations into the shooting and the subsequent clashes are ongoing, while authorities continue to monitor the area. The City of Minneapolis reiterated its support for immigrant and refugee communities and renewed calls for ICE to leave the city and the state.
