WRAP-UP - Fatal shooting by US immigration agent in Minnesota

By Diyar Guldogan

WASHINGTON (AA) - A woman was fatally shot Wednesday by an US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in the state of Minnesota, sparking widespread political backlash and demands for investigations at the local, state and federal levels.

The victim was identified as Renee Nicole Good, 37, an American citizen who was a legal observer of federal actions in Minneapolis.

- How did shooting occur?

The shooting occurred on East 34th Street and Portland Avenue, a location where federal and local law enforcement have been confronting protesters for hours.

Bystander videos circulating on social media show two agents approaching an SUV that was stopped across a roadway, with one agent attempting to open the driver’s side door as the driver tried to speed away.

A third agent moves from the passenger side toward the front of the vehicle.

According to videos, the driver then accelerates, turning the wheels to the right as if trying to drive up the street away from the officers. The agent positioned in front of the vehicle draws his weapon, steps backward and fires as the car’s left front bumper passes near his legs.

He fires three rounds, including at least one after the front bumper had already moved past him. The video does not clearly show whether the car struck the officer, who remained standing during the encounter.

After the shooting, the vehicle continued a short distance before crashing into another car.

- What Trump administration is saying?

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the woman attempted to strike officers with her vehicle, prompting an agent to fire in "self-defense."

Spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said ICE officers were conducting targeted operations when "rioters" began blocking them and "one of these violent rioters weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them—an act of domestic terrorism."

President Donald Trump commented on the shooting in a post on social media, defending the officer who he said "seems to have shot her in self defense."

"The situation is being studied, in its entirety, but the reason these incidents are happening is because the Radical Left is threatening, assaulting, and targeting our Law Enforcement Officers and ICE Agents on a daily basis," he wrote on Truth Social.

DHS Secretary Kristi Noem claimed the woman was "harassing and impeding" law enforcement operations. "Our officer followed his training … and took actions to defend himself and his fellow law enforcement officers,” Noem told reporters. “She hit him. He went to the hospital."

- What local officials are saying?

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he reviewed the footage and rejected claims that the shooting was justified, calling it a "reckless" use of force.

Frey accused federal immigration enforcement agents of causing "chaos" in Minneapolis, and demanded ICE leave the city "immediately."

Gov. Tim Walz echoed the mayor's view, urging the public against believing the “propaganda machine” of the DHS.

"We’ve been warning for weeks that the Trump Administration’s dangerous, sensationalized operations are a threat to public safety," Walz told reporters.

- What is the reaction of congressional lawmakers?

Several Democratic lawmakers slammed ICE, demanding accountability and a "full, comprehensive" investigation.

Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said the shooting was "horrific and demands a full, independent investigation."

The agents "should not be patrolling our neighborhoods like an occupying force—their presence is only creating chaos and costing lives," Schumer wrote on X.

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Noem is "a stone-cold liar who has zero credibility."

"There is nothing to suggest the shooting of an unarmed woman in Minneapolis was justified. This heinous killing must be criminally investigated to the full extent of the law," Jeffries said on X.

Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar described the shooting as “unconscionable and reprehensible,” saying Good was a legal observer. Omar blamed the Trump administration’s immigration policies for escalating tensions and violence.

"Instead of protecting our communities, they are unleashing violence–terrorizing neighborhoods and now killing a civilian. For weeks, ICE’s so-called ‘Operation Metro Surge’ has spread fear, chaos, and violence across our state. This is not law enforcement. It is state violence," Omar wrote on X, demanding accountability and a "full, comprehensive" investigation.

Rep. Robin Kelly announced that she is impeaching Noem, who is "an incompetent leader and a disgrace to our democracy."

"I am introducing Articles of Impeachment against her for violating the public trust, obstructing Congress, and self-dealing," Kelly said in a statement.

- Why is ICE operating in Minneapolis?

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 were inspected and are operating in compliance with state regulations.

For months, federal agents have carried out thousands of arrests nationwide in what the Trump administration describes as a campaign to combat crime and illegal immigration.

Officials from ICE and the US Border Patrol have carried out high-profile operations in Democrat-led cities such as Los Angeles and Chicago, while Trump deployed the National Guard to assist local police in fighting crime.

Critics argue that the actions are unnecessary, may exceed the president’s legal authority and instill fear in immigrant communities.