Roommates, a tense moment on a Minneapolis street has sparked national outrage. What started as a routine day quickly turned into a deadly encounter, and now officials, witnesses, and residents are all telling very different versions of what really happened. What we know is that an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday during an immigration-related operation.
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Conflicting Accounts Emerge After ICE Shooting In Minneapolis
The shooting reportedly happened after a group of people began blocking federal agents in the street, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The woman, described by police as a 37-year-old white woman, was not believed to be the target of any law enforcement activity at the time of the shooting.
Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin claimed the woman “weaponized her vehicle” and attempted to run over ICE agents, saying the agent fired “defensive shots” to save his own life and the lives of others. Video circulating on social media shows agents surrounding a burgundy SUV and ordering the driver to exit the vehicle. When an agent grabbed the driver’s side door handle, the car reversed and then moved forward. An agent near the front of the vehicle then fired three shots, after which the SUV crashed into a parked car and a light pole.
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City Leaders Go Ham Over ICE’s Self-Defense Claims
However, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey strongly rejected DHS’s account, saying video evidence does not support claims of self-defense. “They are already trying to spin this as an action of self defense,” Frey said during a press conference. “Having seen the video…myself, I want to tell everybody directly that is b—s—.” Frey added that local authorities prioritized getting the woman medical care and then worked to remove ICE agents from the scene, saying their presence was “making a difficult situation more problematic.”
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara also raised concerns about ICE’s tactics, noting that deadly force against someone inside a vehicle is highly scrutinized in most law enforcement agencies. “It’s obviously very concerning whenever there’s a shooting into a vehicle of someone who’s not armed,” O’Hara said, emphasizing that departments nationwide train extensively to avoid such outcomes whenever possible.
Witnesses, Residents Push Back As Tensions Explode
Witnesses echoed the mayor’s concerns. Aidan Perzana, who said he saw the incident unfold, stated that it did not appear the woman was trying to run over an agent. “There was plenty of space between the officers at that point for the vehicle to make it through,” he said, adding that it looked like the driver was attempting to flee rather than attack. His wife, Grace Perzana, described the neighborhood as tight-knit and artistic, making the violence even more shocking for residents who say the area is usually filled with community gatherings and music.
In the aftermath of the shooting, residents gathered in the street chanting and throwing snowballs toward federal agents, according to local reports. Law enforcement responded with pepper spray and tear gas to disperse the crowd. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem later escalated the rhetoric, calling the incident “an act of domestic terrorism,” a claim Mayor Frey and local officials flatly rejected based on the video evidence they reviewed. As investigations continue, the shooting has intensified debate around ICE operations in major cities and their impact on local communities. Frey ended his remarks with a blunt message to federal agents: “To ICE, get the f— out of Minneapolis. We do not want you here.”
