A woman was shot and killed by a federal agent during a large-scale immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis on Wednesday, prompting immediate protests from community members and a furious response from the city's mayor.
The shooting occurred on the second day of what Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has described as a 30-day surge, its largest operation to date. Dozens of protesters gathered at the scene, shouting at agents and local police, with some urging Minneapolis police to arrest the agent responsible. One woman was heard asking the agents, "What were you taught by your parents?"
Mayor Jacob Frey delivered a blistering message to ICE during a press conference, saying: "Get the fuck out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here. Your stated reason for being in this city is to create some kind of safety and you are doing exactly the opposite. People are being hurt." He added that families were being "ripped apart" and that long-term residents were being "terrorized", concluding: "Now, somebody is dead."
The victim, according to police chief Brian O'Hara, was a 37-year-old white woman, though her identity has not been publicly disclosed. The FBI and the Minnesota bureau of criminal apprehension are jointly leading the investigation, with the state agency examining whether any state laws were violated.
After the shooting, ICE agents left the area, with bystanders throwing snowballs at their vehicles. In response, the agents sprayed irritants and fired pellets at those who followed. Volunteer medics later helped people clear their eyes. Trained observers, who had been monitoring ICE activity for months, reported that whistles indicated the agents had moved to another part of south Minneapolis, and dozens of people headed in that direction.
