ICE officer shoots man in leg in north Minneapolis after shovel attack, officials say
An Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot a man Wednesday night in north Minneapolis after allegedly being attacked by men with shovels during an arrest operation, three U.S. officials told CBS News.
One of the men, a Venezuelan migrant, was shot in the leg but is expected to be OK. The officer was hospitalized and the extent of their injuries is unclear.
A large crowd quickly formed at the scene, with demonstrators clashing with law enforcement into the early morning hours.
The shooting came exactly one week after ICE officer Jonathan Ross fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good in south Minneapolis.
Early Thursday morning, President Trump took to his Truth Social platform to say Operation Metro Surge will continue following the decision Wednesday by federal Judge Kate Menendez to deny Minnesota and Twin Cities prosecutors a temporary restraining order against ICE.
"A highly respected judge declined to block I.C.E. operations in the very politically corrupt State of Minnesota. I.C.E. will therefore be allowed to continue its highly successful operation of removing some of the most violent and vicious criminals anywhere in the World, many of them murderers, from the State. The great patriots of Law Enforcement will continue to make our Country safe. RECORD LOW CRIME NUMBERS!!!" Trump wrote.
Thursday morning, Mr. Trump threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act, which would allow him to deploy troops to Minneapolis. He has repeatedly threatened to invoke the rarely used federal law to deploy the U.S. military or federalize the National Guard for domestic law enforcement, over the objections of state governors.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Brian O'Hara held a joint news conference late Wednesday night in which Frey called for peace. O'Hara said his officers were also being hit by rocks, fireworks, ice and snowballs. The chief said protesters crossed the line, and mutual aid from the Minnesota State Patrol and the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office was called in.
"This is already a very tense situation, and we do not need this to escalate any further," O'Hara said. "I have faith that the investigators who are involved will follow every lead in this case and ensure it is completed to its logical conclusion."
Frey once again called for ICE to leave Minneapolis.
"There's still a lot that we don't know at this time, but what I can tell you for certain is that this is not sustainable. This is an impossible situation that our city is presently being put in, and at the same time, we are trying to find a way forward to keep people safe, to protect our neighbors, to maintain order," Frey said.
The mayor noted the stark contrast between the number of Minneapolis police officers and the thousands of federal agents now in the area.
"We have approximately 600 police officers in Minneapolis ... and there are approximately 3,000 ICE agents in the area," Frey said. "We have ICE agents throughout our city and throughout our state who, along with Border Patrol, are creating chaos. This is not the path we should be on in America."
Frey then took to social media late Wednesday night, saying, "America, this is not the path we can be on. I have seen conduct from ICE that is intolerable. And for anyone taking the bait tonight, stop. It is not helpful. We cannot respond to Donald Trump's chaos with our own chaos."
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension announced on social media overnight it is investigating the shooting, and that it will be an independent investigation. O'Hara said the FBI was also on the scene collecting evidence.
WCCO has also heard reports of protesters breaking into ICE vehicles and has reached out to police for more information.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche released a statement Wednesday night accusing Gov. Tim Walz and Frey of stoking violence.
"Minnesota insurrection is a direct result of a FAILED governor and a TERRIBLE mayor encouraging violence against law enforcement. It's disgusting," Blanche said. "Walz and Frey — I'm focused on stopping YOU from your terrorism by whatever means necessary. This is not a threat. It's a promise."
Details of the shooting
According to law enforcement officials briefed on the incident, the shooting occurred around 7 p.m. during a targeted ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) action near North Sixth Street and North 24th Avenue.
Officials say one man armed with a shovel — described as an "illegal alien" from Venezuela and the primary target of the operation — assaulted an ICE officer, striking the officer with the shovel and attempting to hit the agent's head. An ICE ERO agent then opened fire, striking the man in the leg.
After being shot, the man fled into a residence. Law enforcement officials say they later determined the house contained three additional targets. All four individuals barricaded themselves inside the home.
Due to the barricade situation, additional agents were called to the scene, officials said. Officers breached the house with the assistance of an ICE specialized tactical team. Officials believe all individuals inside the home were taken into custody.
Both the ICE officer who was struck and the man who was shot were transported to the hospital. The officer's condition and the nature of their injuries have yet to be confirmed.
Homeland Security officials said in a statement the Venezuelan national initially fled law enforcement in a vehicle but soon crashed into a parked car before fleeing on foot.
DHS issued a statement Wednesday evening saying the officer was assaulted by the man as he resisted arrest, and while they were on the ground struggling, "two subjects came out of a nearby apartment and also attacked the law enforcement officer with a snow shovel and broom handle."
"Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired defensive shots to defend his life," DHS officials said.
Less than a hour before the shooting, Walz gave a rare primetime address in which he called on Mr. Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to "end the occupation" of the state. The governor also called on Minnesotans to film the actions of federal agents for use in future prosecutions.
Late Wednesday night, Walz said on social media, "State investigators have been on the scene in North Minneapolis. I know you're angry. I'm angry. 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."