An independent journalist and YouTuber was forcibly ejected from a Minneapolis commercial building by a hostile crowd while attempting to locate a business at the centre of fraud allegations.
Confrontation Erupts During Investigation
Nick Shirley, alongside fellow reporter David Hoch, was filming inside the one-story building in a quest to find the transportation company Advanced Mobility. According to official state records, the business is registered to operate from suite 224 within that address.
However, the investigators discovered a significant discrepancy. They found no suite numbered 224 in the building, and employees of other businesses located there claimed to have no knowledge of Advanced Mobility's existence. "Advanced Mobility? Never heard of it," one worker told Shirley's camera.
The situation escalated rapidly when a group of Somali employees began confronting Shirley, demanding to know his purpose. The mood turned from civil inquiry to open hostility as the crowd swelled, shouting at him to leave the premises immediately.
Heated Exchange and Wider Allegations
Video footage shows the mob ushering Shirley towards the exit while yelling, "Get out, get out. Get the f**k out of here man." As he was pushed out, Shirley asked once more if Advanced Mobility was based there. One enraged individual responded with a threat, shouting, "If any Somali gets hurt in Minnesota, it is because of Nick f**king Shirley."
Hoch later emphasised the puzzling nature of their find, stating, "On the State's website, it says it's in Suite 224, but it's a one-story building. None of the suites had the number 2 on them. It doesn't exist and it's been registered since 1999."
This incident is directly linked to Shirley's previous investigative work, which went viral online. He was responsible for producing videos alleging that 10 Somali-run daycare centres in Minnesota had misappropriated over $100 million in taxpayer funds, claiming the facilities were often empty during operational hours.
Political Repercussions and Official Response
Shirley's initial reports, which garnered hundreds of millions of views and were promoted by billionaire Elon Musk on X, have triggered significant political and legal fallout. In response, the Department of Homeland Security launched a deportation operation in the Twin Cities targeting illegal Somali migrants.
While state and federal officials have stated there is no evidence the specific daycares highlighted misused funds or were broadly non-operational, noting many were licensed and open upon inspection, the political machinery has been engaged. The House Judiciary Committee Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance has announced a hearing for January 21.
Nick Shirley is scheduled to provide testimony at the hearing, which Representative Laurel Lee said will focus on "transparency, accountability and safeguards that prevent this kind of abuse from happening again." Lee called the scale of alleged fraud "staggering" and an "egregious abuse of federal taxpayer dollars."
The controversy has spilled onto the streets, sparking civil uproar following the death of activist Renee Good, who was shot dead by an ICE agent during enforcement activity. The incident has placed embattled Governor Tim Walz under intense pressure, leading to his announcement that he will not seek re-election.
