MINNEAPOLIS, Jan 24 - A man who was shot by federal agents in Minneapolis on Saturday has died, local and federal authorities said, marking the second fatal shooting involving federal officers in the city this month amid heightened immigration enforcement activity.
The Department of Homeland Security said the man, who has not been publicly identified, was armed with a handgun and two magazines, according to an agency statement.
Video that has circulated on social media platforms and been shown on cable news broadcasts depicts several people wearing masks and tactical vests wrestling with a man on a snow-covered street. The footage captures gunfire during the confrontation; in the clip, the man falls to the ground and additional shots are audible.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz responded to the shooting with an immediate demand that the Biden administration halt the immigration enforcement operation in the state. "I just spoke with the White House after another horrific shooting by federal agents this morning," Walz wrote on social media platform X. "This is sickening. The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now."
U.S. Senator Tina Smith, a Democrat from Minnesota, described the shooting as "catastrophic."
Local authorities in Minneapolis urged residents to remain calm while investigators work to determine the circumstances around the incident. Video from the scene showed immigration agents deploying tear gas as a crowd of onlookers gathered and grew.
The City of Minneapolis posted a public advisory asking people to avoid the immediate area and to remain calm while officials probe the event. "We ask the public to remain calm and avoid the immediate area," the city message read.
At this stage, officials have confirmed the death and reiterated that investigations are underway. Beyond the details released by federal and local authorities and the publicly circulating video, officials have not provided additional information about the sequence of events or the identity of the person who was shot.
Summary of facts:
- A man shot by federal agents in Minneapolis on Jan. 24 has died.
- The Department of Homeland Security said the individual was armed with a handgun and two magazines.
- Video shows people in masks and tactical vests wrestling with a man on a snow-covered street before gunfire; the man falls and more shots are heard.
- Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and U.S. Senator Tina Smith publicly condemned the shooting and called for the federal enforcement operation to end.
- Minneapolis officials urged calm and advised the public to avoid the immediate area while investigations continue; video showed agents using tear gas on a growing crowd.