A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fatally shot a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday during a federal immigration enforcement operation. The incident occurred in a snowy residential neighborhood south of downtown Minneapolis, amidst conflicting accounts from federal officials and local authorities regarding the circumstances of the shooting. This event marks at least the fifth fatality linked to immigration enforcement operations since 2024.
Incident Details
On Wednesday, an ICE officer discharged a weapon, resulting in the death of a 37-year-old woman who was a motorist. The shooting took place in a residential area of Minneapolis, approximately 1.6 kilometers from where George Floyd died in 2020. A family member was present in the vehicle, and the woman was reportedly shot in the head. A bullet hole was observed in the windshield of a car at the scene, and the SUV later crashed into two parked cars.
Bystander videos posted on social media show an officer approaching an SUV that was stopped in the middle of a road. As the vehicle began to pull forward, a different ICE officer positioned in front of the SUV discharged his weapon at least twice into the vehicle at close range, moving back as the vehicle advanced. The videos did not definitively show whether the vehicle made contact with the officer.
Conflicting Accounts and Official Statements
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that the incident was an "act of domestic terrorism" and that the woman "attempted to run them over and rammed them with her vehicle." Secretary Noem asserted that an officer "acted quickly and defensively, shot, to protect himself and the people around him."
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey publicly disputed Secretary Noem's account. Mayor Frey stated he had viewed video footage and concluded that the claim of self-defense was unfounded, describing it as "bullshit." He criticized the deployment of over 2,000 federal officers to the Twin Cities, stating they were "causing chaos and distrust" and "ripping families apart," and called for immigration agents to leave Minneapolis.
Witness Lynette Reini-Grandell, who was recording video, stated, "She was driving away and they killed her."
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara provided a brief description of the event, noting that a federal law enforcement officer approached the vehicle, which then began to drive off, leading to at least two shots being fired before the vehicle crashed.
Investigation and Reactions
Commissioner Bob Jacobson of the Minnesota Department of Public Safety confirmed that state authorities would investigate the shooting in conjunction with federal authorities and urged against speculation as the investigation was in its early stage.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz expressed outrage over the shooting, describing it as "predictable" and "avoidable." Governor Walz called for protests to remain peaceful and stated the National Guard was prepared for deployment if needed. Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar referred to the event as "state violence."
Enforcement Operation Context
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) initiated this enforcement operation in the Twin Cities, deploying more than 2,000 agents and officers. The operation is partly connected to allegations of fraud involving Somali residents. Secretary Noem reported that "hundreds and hundreds" of arrests had been made.
This incident is the fifth fatality linked to immigration enforcement operations across several states since 2024.
Community Response and Preparedness
Following the shooting, a gathering of protesters assembled at the scene, expressing opposition to the presence of local and federal officers. Protesters chanted "Shame! Shame! Shame!" and "ICE out of Minnesota!" A federal agent was observed deploying a chemical agent on a protester, and photographer King Demetrius Pendleton reported being affected by chemical irritants.
For nearly a year, migrant rights advocates and neighborhood activists in the Twin Cities had been preparing for a potential increase in immigration enforcement. Their preparations included establishing online networks, monitoring for federal vehicles, and acquiring whistles and other devices to alert communities to enforcement presence. The Immigration Defence Network, a coalition of groups serving immigrants in Minnesota, conducted a training session for approximately 100 individuals willing to monitor the federal operation.
Broader Context of Enforcement Tactics and Protester Interactions
This incident occurs within a broader context of increased federal prosecutions and reported encounters between federal immigration officers and individuals observing or protesting their operations.
Increased Prosecutions
Federal court records indicate that prosecutions under Title 18, Section 111 of the U.S. Code, which criminalizes impeding federal law enforcement, have significantly increased. The Trump administration prosecuted at least 655 individuals under this charge since summer 2019, more than doubling prosecutions during a prior period. The statute allows for felony charges with potential sentences of up to 20 years.
Government Stance and Protester Tracking
The Trump administration characterizes opponents of ICE as individuals who pose threats to officers and impede enforcement efforts. A DHS spokesperson stated that federal immigration officers utilize "the minimum amount of force necessary to protect themselves, the public, and federal property." ICE has maintained an internal database for several months to track protesters, including names, photos, actions, locations, and license plates, intended to identify patterns for potential charges.
Legal Perspective
Seth Stoughton, a professor specializing in policing at the University of South Carolina School of Law, noted that the law typically applies to physical assaults on officers and requires actions to be committed "forcibly." He expressed skepticism that merely following an agent in a car, without physical contact, constitutes forcible resistance or impediment.
A federal judge in Minneapolis had issued an order, which was paused by an appeals court, stating that a vehicle following ICE at "an appropriate distance" did not justify a traffic stop or arrest. Deborah Fleischaker, a former top ICE official, described intimidating and arresting individuals peacefully following immigration officers as "inappropriate and unconstitutional."
Other Reported Incidents
Despite new internal ICE guidance advising officers not to engage with protesters, several encounters have been reported:
- On January 29, Becky Ringstrom was arrested by federal immigration officers in suburban Minneapolis after observing and following federal vehicles. She was charged under Title 18, Section 111. DHS stated she "stalked law enforcement and attempted to obstruct."
- Two videos verified by Reuters showed ICE officers drawing weapons while approaching vehicles allegedly following them. On January 29, south of Minneapolis, dashcam footage showed federal officers stopping abruptly and approaching a woman's vehicle with guns drawn. DHS stated she was "stalking and obstructing" officers and drove recklessly. On February 3, two ICE officers approached a car with guns drawn. DHS stated it had been "stalking and obstructing" them and made hand motions suggestive of possessing a firearm. Reuters could not independently verify DHS's claims in these instances.
- An ICE officer reportedly led a woman who was following his vehicle back to her house in a suburb north of St. Paul on January 22, making her identity and address known. An ICE officer stated this tactic was used "to freak them out." DHS stated it would review body camera footage for this incident.
- In January, Brandon Siguenza and Patty O'Keefe reported that officers fired pepper spray into their car, broke a window, and detained them for eight hours while they were following an ICE vehicle in Minneapolis. A DHS spokesperson stated officers gave warnings and used "the minimum amount of force necessary to make the arrest" when the passenger refused to exit. Siguenza and O'Keefe have not been charged.