Officials say the man approached agents with a handgun. However, local leaders are demanding answers as protests intensify.
A man was shot and killed in Minneapolis on Saturday during a federal immigration operation, according to local and federal officials. The incident has escalated tensions in a city already on edge after earlier clashes tied to a wider immigration crackdown.
Federal officials say Border Patrol agents fired “defensive” shots after the man approached them with a handgun and extra magazines. Meanwhile, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the man was a 37-year-old resident believed to be a U.S. citizen and a lawful gun owner, with no known criminal record.
Video circulating online appears to show a chaotic struggle on a snow-covered street before shots ring out. Afterward, immigration agents deployed tear gas as a crowd gathered near the scene.
Confirmed facts from the incident.
- Federal immigration officers shot and killed a man in Minneapolis during an operation linked to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
- DHS said the man approached agents with a handgun and that agents fired in defense.
- Minneapolis police said the man was believed to be a U.S. citizen and a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.
- A bystander video reviewed by major outlets shows a struggle, then gunfire, then officers backing away as more shots are heard.
- Federal agents later used tear gas as protests formed near the scene.
At this time, key details remain unclear. For example, officials have not publicly released a complete timeline of the encounter. Also, public reporting indicates investigators are still reviewing video and witness accounts.
What officials are saying
DHS has framed the shooting as self-defense during an active federal operation.
Local leaders, however, are pushing back hard. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for an immediate end to the federal enforcement operations in the state. He questioned how many more people must die or be badly hurt for the operation to end.
Police Chief Brian O’Hara urged calm. He also called on federal agencies operating in the city to act with “discipline, humanity and integrity.”
Meanwhile, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he had been in contact with the White House after the shooting. He urged President Donald Trump to end what DHS has described as its largest-ever immigration enforcement operation.
The impact on the people
This shooting did not happen in isolation. Instead, it landed in the middle of ongoing protests related to federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.
Reuters reported that the city has seen major demonstrations, including a large protest one day before the shooting. It also cited resident anger over multiple incidents tied to the federal presence.
As a result, Saturday’s incident quickly became another flashpoint. Crowds gathered near the scene. Federal agents then deployed tear gas.
The political backdrop around the crackdown
Because the operation is tied to national immigration policy, it has become political fast. That shift is already visible in the response from local and state leaders, who are urging the White House to end the operation.
At the same time, federal officials are defending their tactics as necessary for enforcement. So, the debate is not only about one shooting. It is also about how immigration enforcement is being carried out on the ground, and what accountability looks like when force is used.
The ICE Minneapolis shooting is now at the center of a larger fight over federal immigration enforcement in the city. For now, officials agree on one point: the situation is volatile. However, the public still lacks a full, verified account of what happened in the moments before gunfire.
