The US Department of Homeland Security said the person shot dead had “weaponised” their vehicle, according to DHS spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin.
“An ICE officer, fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow law enforcement and the safety of the public, fired defensive shots,” McLaughlin wrote in a post on X.
The shooting came during a large-scale immigration surge, a city spokesperson said, in the latest violent incident during President Donald Trump’s crackdown on migrants.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey confirmed the shooting in a post on X, criticising the Trump administration for heightening tensions around immigration enforcement.
“The presence of federal immigration enforcement agents is causing chaos in our city.” Frey said on X. “We’re demanding ICE to leave the city immediately. We stand rock solid with our immigrant and refugee communities.”
Mr Frey issued the statement before the death of the woman was confirmed.
A federal agent runs towards protesters after a driver of a vehicle was shot in Minneapolis, US. REUTERS/Tim Evans.
Today’s News in 90 Seconds, Wednesday, January 7
Trump, a Republican, deployed federal immigration agents to Democratic-led cities across the US through his first year in office, leading to backlash from residents. In recent weeks, federal agents have been sent to Minneapolis following allegations of fraud involving Somali immigrants, whom Trump has called “garbage.”
A dark-coloured SUV with a bullet hole through its windshield and blood splattered across the headrest was seen rammed into a pole on the snowy street where the shooting took place. US Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino was also on site.
Venus de Mars, a 65-year-old Minneapolis resident who lives near the site of the shooting, described seeing paramedics perform CPR on a woman collapsed next to a snowbank near the crashed car. Shortly after, they loaded her into an ambulance that drove away without its sirens on.
“There’s been lots of ICE activity but nothing like this,” de Mars said. “I’m so angry. I’m so angry, and I feel helpless.”