MINNEAPOLIS, Minn., Jan. 7 — Federal immigration agents used chemical irritants in South Minneapolis on Wednesday as crowds swelled near the scene of a fatal shooting involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer, according to federal and local officials and video from the area.
The confrontation unfolded in the Powderhorn area near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue, where a woman was shot earlier in the day during what the Department of Homeland Security described as a targeted enforcement operation. The agency said the woman later died.
As demonstrators gathered, officers moved to clear streets and alleys while trying to move vehicles away from the scene. Aerial and on-the-ground footage showed agents deploying chemical irritants to create space around vehicles and push back crowds. Protesters and some local observers said pepper spray was used, and some in the crowd reported the presence of tear gas, though officials have not publicly confirmed the specific type of agent in all instances.
DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said the shooting occurred after the woman “weaponized” her vehicle and attempted to run over officers, prompting an ICE officer to fire what the agency characterized as defensive shots. That account could not immediately be independently verified from public evidence released so far.
Local leaders sharply criticized the federal operation, arguing it has escalated tensions in residential neighborhoods. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said on social media that the shooting involved an ICE agent and described the federal presence as “causing chaos” in the city, calling for agents to leave immediately.
Gov. Tim Walz said he had been briefed on the shooting and urged calm as protesters converged on the area. Multiple elected officials also pressed for an investigation that is not solely controlled by federal authorities, citing the need for public transparency.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office was pushing for state and local investigators to review the incident, saying a local process was essential to ensure a transparent accounting of what happened. The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office said it was not involved in the shooting but could assist investigators as needed.
Accounts from city officials suggested the woman was inside a maroon vehicle at the time she was shot. At the scene, authorities taped off the area as protesters shouted at officers and attempted at times to block vehicles from moving through the neighborhood. The standoff prompted a larger law-enforcement response as the day went on.
The shooting came as federal officials expanded immigration enforcement actions in Minnesota. DHS has described the broader effort as a major operation expected to involve thousands of personnel and continue for weeks, tied in part to allegations of fraud in social service systems. Federal officials have argued the surge is necessary; Democratic leaders in Minneapolis and at the state level say it is destabilizing communities and increasing the risk of confrontations.
Wednesday’s escalation also drew heightened attention because it unfolded in South Minneapolis, not far from the location where George Floyd was killed by police in 2020 — a case that sparked nationwide protests and left lasting sensitivity around heavily armed law-enforcement actions in the city’s neighborhoods.
By late Wednesday, officials had not released the woman’s name or additional details about the officer involved. It remained unclear whether video footage from the incident, including any body-worn camera evidence, would be made public and on what timeline. Authorities also had not said whether state or local prosecutors would have jurisdiction over any potential criminal review.
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For ongoing details and official statements as they emerge, see local reporting from KSTP 5 Eyewitness News and the broader national overview from The Associated Press.
Developing: This story may be updated as authorities release additional information, including investigative control, evidence, and the identity of the woman who was killed.
