Border Patrol Agents Fatally Shoot Minneapolis Man in Third Federal Incident This Month
Federal Border Patrol agents shot and killed a 37-year-old Minneapolis man Saturday morning, igniting immediate backlash from state and local officials who are demanding the withdrawal of federal immigration forces from Minnesota.
The fatal shooting marks the third incident involving federal agents in Minneapolis since January 7, when ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed U.S. citizen Renee Good – an incident that has sparked increasingly tense protests throughout the city.
Conflicting Accounts
According to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara, the shooting occurred around 9:03 a.m. near 26th Street W and Nicollet Avenue. The victim was a white male U.S. citizen and legal gun owner with a permit to carry, officials confirmed.
The Department of Homeland Security claims the individual approached Border Patrol officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun while they were conducting an operation targeting “an illegal alien wanted for violent assault.” In their statement, DHS said officers attempted to disarm the suspect who “violently resisted,” prompting an agent to fire “defensive shots” out of fear for his and fellow officers’ safety.
But Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey offered a starkly different characterization after viewing video of the incident. “I just saw a video of more than six masked agents pummeling one of our constituents and shooting him to death,” Frey stated at a press conference. “How many more residents? How many more Americans need to die or get badly hurt for this operation to end?”
Fierce Political Backlash
The shooting has intensified an already heated political standoff between Minnesota officials and the Trump administration over the massive deployment of federal immigration agents to the Democratic-led city.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz immediately called the White House after what he described as “another horrific shooting” by federal agents. “Minnesota has had it. This is sickening,” Walz said. “The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now.”
Representative Ilhan Omar was even more direct, characterizing the incident as “an execution by immigration enforcement” and demanding that ICE and CBP leave Minnesota immediately. “I am absolutely heartbroken, horrified, and appalled that federal agents murdered another member of our community,” Omar declared, adding that “the Trump administration is trying to beat us into submission rather than protect us.”
Senator Amy Klobuchar also urged Republicans to break their silence on the matter: “Donald Trump and all your lieutenants who ordered this ICE surge: watch the horrific video of the killing today… Get ICE out of Minnesota NOW.”
Trump Defends Federal Agents
How did the administration respond? President Trump quickly defended the actions of federal agents in a lengthy statement that included claims about the victim’s weapon. “This is the gunman’s gun, loaded (with two additional full magazines!), and ready to go – What is that all about?” Trump questioned, before asking: “Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers?”
The Border Patrol union also issued a statement defending the agents’ actions, claiming the individual was a “supposed peaceful protester” who brought a weapon. “When a supposed ‘peaceful’ protester brings a weapon (such as a loaded handgun) and brandishes it, there are going to severe consequences and repercussions,” the union stated, while blaming media and politicians for encouraging confrontations with federal agents.
Some Republicans have taken a more measured approach. House Speaker Lisa Demuth (R-Cold Spring) acknowledged “another tragic loss of life” but emphasized that “there are still too many political leaders urging direct confrontation including the attempted disruption of law enforcement operations,” calling for leadership at all levels to reduce tensions.
Protests and Local Response
Protesters quickly gathered at the scene Saturday, prompting authorities to deploy chemical irritants. Minneapolis Police Chief O’Hara declared an unlawful assembly and requested mutual aid from Minnesota State Patrol and regional partners. “There is an unlawful assembly at this time, and Minneapolis police have given warnings to the crowd to disperse. We are asking for people to avoid the area and to leave,” O’Hara said.
The ACLU of Minnesota demanded an immediate end to federal operations in Minneapolis, stating: “This tragedy is further proof that these federal agents are out of control and critically endangering our communities. ICE and CBP must end their operations in our city before anyone else is harmed.”
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced her office is coordinating with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension for a state response. “The scene must be secured by local law enforcement for the collection and preservation of evidence. We expect the federal government to allow the BCA to process the scene,” Moriarty insisted.
Broader Immigration Crackdown
The shooting comes amid President Trump’s sweeping immigration crackdown campaign. Thousands of ICE agents have been deployed to Minneapolis as part of a nationwide effort to deport undocumented immigrants.
This latest incident occurred less than three weeks after the January 7 fatal shooting of Renee Good. The ICE agent responsible for that shooting, Jonathan Ross, has neither been suspended nor charged, further inflaming tensions between federal authorities and the local community.
As protesters continue to gather and officials demand accountability, one thing is clear: the relationship between federal immigration authorities and Minneapolis has reached a breaking point – with three lives lost in the crossfire.
