A 37-year-old woman was shot dead on Wednesday in Minneapolis by a federal immigration officer during an enforcement operation. US federal authorities say the shooting was carried out in self-defense, a version of events strongly disputed by local political leaders, who point in particular to a video circulating on social media. A federal investigation has been handed over to the FBI.
A large-scale immigration operation in Minneapolis
Since Tuesday, the US federal immigration agency, ICE, has been conducting a series of large-scale operations in the city of Minneapolis and its surrounding suburbs. According to authorities, around 2,000 officers were mobilized as part of these operations, which have taken place amid heightened tensions with residents opposed to the federal government’s immigration policy.
On Wednesday, during one of these operations, clashes broke out between federal agents and protesters. In a statement, the US Department of Homeland Security said that “rioters began blocking agents.”
The federal version: a shooting in “self-defense”
According to federal authorities, one of the protesters allegedly “turned her vehicle into a weapon,” attempting to run over law enforcement officers “with the intent to kill them.” The department added that “an ICE agent, fearing for his life, the lives of his colleagues, and the safety of the public, fired his weapon in self-defense.”
The driver of the vehicle, a 37-year-old woman, later died from her gunshot wounds.
A video challenges the official account
A video circulating on the social media platform BlueSky appears to contradict the federal account. The footage shows law enforcement officers approaching an SUV on a snow-covered road. The vehicle appears to begin moving away when gunshots are heard. The SUV then collides with another vehicle parked a few meters away.
The images triggered strong reactions from local Democratic officials.
Minneapolis mayor denounces a “false narrative”
At a press conference, Minneapolis Democratic Mayor Jacob Frey firmly rejected the federal authorities’ version of events.
“I’ve seen the video. The immigration police’s version is nonsense,” he said, adding that the driver “never posed a danger to anyone.”
He said he had “feared this moment from the beginning” of the increased presence of immigration officers in the city, before delivering a blunt message: “Get the hell out of Minneapolis.”
Minnesota governor calls for a full investigation
Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz, who was Kamala Harris’s running mate in the 2024 presidential election, also rejected the federal narrative.
“I’ve seen the video. Don’t believe this propaganda machine,” he said, adding that the state would ensure “a full, fair, and swift investigation” so that “accountability is established and justice is served.”
The investigation has been entrusted to the FBI.
Donald Trump blames the “radical left”
US President Donald Trump reacted on his Truth Social platform, defending law enforcement and blaming political opponents.
“The reason these incidents happen is because the radical left threatens, attacks, and targets law enforcement officers and immigration agents on a daily basis,” he wrote.
Donald Trump has made the fight against illegal immigration a cornerstone of his domestic policy. Immigration enforcement operations carried out across the country regularly spark protests and mobilizations, particularly in cities led by Democratic officials.
Immediate gathering at the scene
Later in the day, a crowd gathered at the site of the shooting, according to footage from local station WCCO. One person at the scene was quoted as saying: “There is no reason—no matter what this person may have done—that she deserved to be killed.”
The incident has reignited debate in the United States over the use of force by federal agencies, the scope of immigration enforcement operations, and growing tensions between federal authorities and local governments.