The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Saturday that a man shot by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents during an attempted arrest in Minneapolis has died. The incident occurred amid a major federal immigration enforcement surge ordered by the Trump administration.
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According to DHS and local reporting, the shooting happened around 9:05 a.m. in the Whittier neighborhood near 26th Street West and Nicollet Avenue, a busy area known as “Eat Street.” Federal agents from CBP and Immigration and Customs Enforcement were conducting operations as part of Operation Metro Surge, which the administration has described as the largest immigration enforcement effort in U.S. history.
Witness video and preliminary accounts indicate agents attempted to take a 51-year-old man into custody when a violent struggle broke out. DHS said the suspect pulled a 9mm handgun during the confrontation. Agents attempted to disarm him as he resisted, prompting an officer to fire defensive shots.
“Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots,” DHS said in a statement. Emergency medical aid was immediately provided, but the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. Officials said the man was carrying two magazines and had no identification on him.
DHS described the incident as an extremely dangerous encounter, stating that the suspect appeared intent on inflicting maximum harm on law enforcement officers. Additional details regarding the armed struggle are expected as the investigation continues.
Shortly after the shooting, an estimated 200 protesters gathered at the scene, chanting anti-ICE slogans. The situation escalated into a riot, with agitators throwing rocks and other objects at federal agents and erecting makeshift barricades. Minnesota State Police responded, and authorities declared an unlawful assembly as tensions continued to rise.[/read]