An illegal Venezuelan migrant was wounded in the leg after a federal immigration officer opened fire, following a late-night confrontation on Wednesday, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Authorities said the man initially ran from a traffic stop and later attacked the agent, hitting him with a snow shovel in what officials described as an ambush.
The incident began around 6:50 p.m. local time when the suspect, who was driving at the time, tried to flee from federal immigration officers, according to DHS. The illegal migrant ended up crashing into a parked vehicle, then fled the scene. Officials said he later got into a physical struggle with one officer.
Violently Attacked and Then Shot
Officers said that the migrant "violently assault[ed] the officer," according to a post shared by the agency on X. As the suspect kept fighting with the officer, two other people suddenly came out of a nearby apartment and joined in, DHS said. They allegedly beat the agent repeatedly, using a snow shovel and a broom handle.
As things spiraled out of control, the Venezuelan man managed to slip out of the officer's grasp and began hitting him too, according to officials.
With the officer "fearing for his life," he fired his weapon and shot the man in the leg.
Both the officer and the injured man were taken to a nearby hospital for treatment, and the two others who joined the attack were arrested.
Authorities said the person police were trying to detain had originally entered the U.S. in 2022 without legal permission.
People who spoke with local outlets said that earlier on Wednesday evening they heard a series of gunshots after a car chase ripped through part of the Twin Cities, adding to the chaos of the night.
KARE reported that just before 8 p.m., federal agents gathered around North Lyndale Avenue and 25th Avenue, near a large park, and at least one ambulance was seen leaving the scene.
Total Chaos
As the situation unfolded, a crowd of frustrated and angry residents converged on the area. Police Chief Brian O'Hara later said protesters swarmed the site of the shooting and began throwing fireworks at officers, creating an even more tense atmosphere late into the night.
Police responded by firing tear gas canisters to break up the crowd and push the protesters back.
"The crowd is engaging in unlawful acts," O'Hara said.
"I urge anyone who is at the scene to leave immediately. This is already a very tense situation and we do not need this to escalate any further," the chief added.
Mayor Jacob Frey slammed the protesters who caused damage, saying they were falling right into what he described as President Trump's "bait."
"For anyone that is taking the bait tonight, stop. That is not helpful. Go home," he said during the press conference. "We cannot counter Donald Trump's chaos with our own brand of chaos."
The shooting comes just one week after a 37-year-old woman named Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent during an enforcement action. Authorities said the officer fired after she allegedly tried to use her vehicle against federal agents, and she was killed at the intersection of 34th Avenue and Portland Avenue, just a little over six miles from the scene of Wednesday's shooting.
