ICE shooting kills woman in US state of Minnesota

By Yasin Gungor

ISTANBUL (AA) - A US woman was killed Wednesday after being shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent during an enforcement operation in the US city of Minneapolis, triggering conflicting accounts by local and federal authorities.

The Department of Homeland Security said the woman attempted to strike officers with her vehicle, prompting an agent to fire in what officials described as "self-defense."

Local officials disputed that account, with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey saying he reviewed video footage of the incident and rejected claims that the shooting was justified, calling it a reckless use of force. He demanded that federal immigration agents leave the city.

Footage on social media showed an ICE agent standing in front of the woman’s SUV as it moved forward, with the agent firing multiple shots.

"An officer of ours acted quickly and defensively, shot to protect himself and the people around him," Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem said in a statement, adding that the woman was hit and died.

Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said on US social media company X that ICE officers were conducting targeted operations when "rioters" began blocking them and "one of these violent rioters weaponized her vehicle."

An ICE officer "used his training and saved his own life and that of his fellow officers," she added.

Officers who were hurt are expected to make full recoveries, she added.

For his part, Minneapolis Mayor Frey said he was aware of the shooting, accusing federal immigration enforcement agents of causing "chaos" in the city.

"We're demanding ICE to leave the city immediately. We stand rock solid with our immigrant and refugee communities," Frey said on X.

The Trump administration has deployed nearly 2,000 federal agents to Minnesota in an ongoing crackdown on undocumented immigration following allegations of fraudulent practices at some childcare centers after an unverified video circulated on social media.

Minnesota officials rejected the allegations, saying facilities had been inspected and are operating in compliance with state regulations.