Federal immigration agents shot and killed a man in Minneapolis on Saturday, marking the second fatal shooting involving federal agents in the city this month amid an intensified immigration enforcement drive.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Border Patrol agents fired in self-defence after a man approached them carrying a handgun and two ammunition magazines.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the man was a 37-year-old city resident believed to be a U.S. citizen. He was described as a lawful gun owner with no criminal record. Authorities have not released his name.
Videos circulating on social media and broadcast by U.S. television networks showed masked individuals wearing tactical vests struggling with a man on a snow-covered street before gunshots were heard. The footage shows the man collapsing, followed by additional shots.
Subsequent video from the area showed federal immigration agents deploying tear gas as a crowd of onlookers gathered at the scene.
Political Reaction and Public Safety Concerns Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for an immediate halt to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations in the state.
“How many more residents, how many more Americans need to die or be seriously injured for this operation to end?” Frey said at a news conference.
Minnesota’s governor and two U.S. senators also urged federal agents to withdraw from the state.
A White House official told Reuters that former President Donald Trump had been briefed on the incident.
Police Chief O’Hara described the situation at the scene as “volatile” and urged residents to stay away from the area. “Please do not destroy our city,” he said.
The Minneapolis Institute of Art, located nearby, closed for the day citing safety concerns.
Background The shooting occurred a day after more than 10,000 people protested in freezing conditions against the presence of about 3,000 federal immigration agents deployed to Minnesota under orders from the Trump administration.
Public anger has grown following several recent incidents, including the killing of U.S. citizen Renee Good, the detention of a U.S. citizen taken from his home, and the detention of schoolchildren, including a five-year-old boy.
Earlier this week, U.S. Vice President JD Vance visited Minneapolis to express support for immigration officers and urged local leaders to help reduce tensions. He said U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement was carrying out an important mission to detain immigration law violators.
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