MINNEAPOLIS: Federal immigration agents shot dead a man in Minneapolis on Saturday, marking the second fatal shooting of a civilian during the Trump administration’s controversial immigration operation in the city and triggering fresh protests and condemnation from state officials.
The killing comes less than three weeks after US citizen Renee Good was shot dead by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer during raids targeting undocumented migrants.
The Department of Homeland Security said the man killed on Saturday was armed with a pistol and that officers acted in self-defence. However, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz described the shooting as “horrific” and demanded that state authorities take charge of the investigation.
“The federal government cannot be trusted to lead this investigation. The state will handle it,” Walz said while addressing a press conference.
President Donald Trump escalated his criticism of Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, accusing them of “inciting insurrection” over their response to the incident. Trump has previously threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy troops to Minnesota.
Minneapolis police said the victim was a 37-year-old white male US citizen from Minnesota who possessed a valid gun licence. His name has not been released.
Video footage circulating on social media, later confirmed by authorities, shows several agents surrounding a person on the ground and striking him multiple times before gunshots are heard.
Mayor Frey urged Trump to end the federal immigration operation, saying it was inflaming tensions in the city. He called for an end to the operation in the interest of restoring peace.
Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the situation became “incredibly volatile” following the shooting and urged residents to avoid the area. Police declared the protest an unlawful assembly and used tear gas as crowds grew in south Minneapolis, where roads were blocked with dumpsters.
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Local residents said tensions in the city were escalating amid heavy federal presence.
DHS said on X that the individual approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and resisted attempts to disarm him, prompting an officer to fire defensive shots. Medical aid was provided on the scene, but the man was pronounced dead.
O’Hara said police believe the victim was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry, noting that Minnesota allows open carry with a permit.
Earlier, Walz said he had discussed what he termed “another horrific shooting by federal agents” with the White House and called for an immediate end to the operation.
Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar called the shooting an “execution” and accused the administration of turning Minneapolis into a “war zone.”
Thousands of federal immigration agents have been deployed to the city as part of a broader campaign against undocumented migrants, a move that has sparked sustained protests since the killing of Good on January 7.
Public anger intensified further this week following reports of the detention of a five-year-old boy during an attempt to arrest his father.
