Tensions boiled over in Minneapolis on Saturday after a U.S. Border Patrol agent shot and killed an armed man during a morning operation. This marks the second fatal shooting by federal agents in the city in just over two weeks, following the death of Renee Good involving an ICE agent 17 days ago.
Governor Tim Walz reacted with immediate fury.
He contacted the White House to demand that the federal operation be shut down and took to social media to voice his anger.
“I just spoke with the White House after another horrific shooting by federal agents this morning,” Walz wrote. “Minnesota has had it. This is sickening. The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now.”
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While the governor condemned the agents, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a detailed statement describing the shooting as an act of self-defense during a dangerous arrest.
According to DHS, the incident began at 9:05 a.m. while officers were conducting a “targeted operation” to find an undocumented immigrant wanted for violent assault.
DHS officials stated that during this operation, a man approached Border Patrol officers carrying a 9mm semi-automatic handgun. The department released a photo of the weapon and two magazines, which they say belonged to the suspect.
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Officials said agents tried to disarm the man, but he “violently resisted.” An agent, reportedly fearing for the lives of the team, fired defensive shots. Medics provided aid immediately, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The department suggested the suspect had bad intentions, noting he carried extra ammunition and no identification.
“This looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement,” the DHS statement read.
Chaos followed the shooting.
Minneapolis city officials initially warned the public to avoid the area near Nicollet Avenue and 27th Street due to clashes. DHS reported that about 200 “rioters” arrived at the scene, assaulting officers and obstructing the investigation, forcing agents to use crowd control measures.
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