A woman has been shot and killed by ICE in what Homeland Security said was an act of ‘domestic terrorism’ – but local authorities dispute the agency’s narrative.
The unidentified woman, 37, was shot after allegedly trying to ram officers with her car ‘in an attempt to kill them’ during ICE’s operations in Minneapolis, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told the Daily Mail in a statement.
DHS said she ‘weaponized her vehicle’ and called her actions an ‘act of domestic terrorism,’ the statement said.
Life-saving aid was rendered to the woman, but she succumbed to her injuries. Police found the woman with a gunshot wound to the head, according to Police Chief Brian O’Hara.
Senator Tina Smith said the woman was a US citizen.
The tragedy comes as DHS deployed more than 2,000 ICE officers to Minneapolis as part of their largest operation ‘ever.’
McLaughlin said the ICE agent escalated the situation because he was ‘fearing for his own life, the lives of his fellow law enforcement, and the safety of the public.’
‘He used his training and saved his own life and that of his fellow officers,’ she said in a statement, describing the gunshots as ‘defensive shots.’
‘Thankfully, the ICE officers who were hurt are expected to make full recoveries.’
A woman was allegedly shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer before crashing her car in Minneapolis. The woman’s burgundy SUV was seen with a bullet hole
The scene was seen roped off with crime tape on Wednesday
Life-saving aid was rendered, but it is unclear what the woman’s condition is. Senator Tina Smith said the woman was a US citizen (pictured: federal agents at the scene)
The woman’s burgundy SUV was seen with a bullet hole through the driver’s side windshield, Kare 11 reported. After being shot, the woman allegedly crashed into a light pole and damaged two parked cars nearby.
Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, said at a press conference that officers got stuck in the snow due to the adverse weather in the city.
‘They were attempting to push out their vehicle when a woman attacked them and attempted to run them over and ram them with her vehicle,’ she said.
‘An officer of ours acted quickly, and defensively shot to protect himself and the people around him.’
O’Hara said the woman was in her vehicle and blocking the road. At some point federal law enforcement approached her and the vehicle began to drive off.
Two shots were fired before the vehicle crashed, O’Hara said at a press conference.
The FBI is investigating the incident, O’Hara said, as he disputed DHS’ version of events.
Governor Tim Walz has confirmed he was made aware of the shooting.
‘My public safety team is working to gather information on an ICE related shooting this morning,’ he wrote on X.
The Democrat asked his citizens to ‘remain calm.’
Hundreds of ICE agents are near the corner of 33rd and Portland Avenue this morning as immigration tensions continue to rise in the Midwestern city.
Mayor Jacob Frey told ICE to ‘get the f**k out of Minneapolis’ at a press conference
Protesters have been gathering in the area on Wednesday. Some threw snowballs at ICE officers
Hundreds of ICE agents are near the corner of 33rd and Portland Avenue this morning as immigration tensions continue to rise in the Midwestern city
Law enforcement deployed tear gas and pepper spray toward protesters
Protesters have been gathering in the area on Wednesday. Some threw snowballs at ICE officers, according to Kare 11.
Law enforcement deployed tear gas and pepper spray toward protesters, the outlet said.
Local police also put up metal barriers to separate protesters from federal agents.
Since deploying officers to the Twin Cities, Noem, said more than 1,000 people have been arrested in the area.
Mayor Jacob Frey said the federal agency was ‘causing chaos in the our city’ and demanded they ‘leave the city immediately.’
‘We stand rock solid with our immigrant and refugee communities,’ he wrote on X.
At a press conference, Frey claimed DHS was trying ‘to spin this as action of self defense.’
‘This is bulls**t,’ he said at a press conference. ‘I have a message for our community our city and ICE. To ICE, get the f**k out of Minneapolis.
Pictured: An FBI officer looking at the woman’s car
Pictured: A police officer moving metal barriers in front of the protesters
Pictured: Armed police officers arriving at the scene on Wednesday
‘This is a moment where all of us in Minneapolis and beyond we can rise to the occasion. we can show them who we are. We are going to meet that hate with love.’
He said his constituents were ‘better than a bunch of ICE agents ripping apart families and communities.’
Frey said he was not informed of the woman’s identity.
Minneapolis has become the Trump administration’s latest target in the battle over immigration in the US.
DHS is also probing Somali communities in Minneapolis following an explosive report by conservative influencer Nick Shirley, who released a viral video alleging widespread fraud at Somali-run daycare centers in Minnesota.
Shirley claimed the facilities were mostly empty despite receiving millions in government funds.
Earlier this week, DHS exploded on a Hilton hotel franchise, who canceled ICE agents reservations.
DHS accused the global chain of ‘siding with murderers and rapists’ as part of a ‘coordinated campaign’ against deportation enforcement in Minneapolis.
‘NO ROOM AT THE INN! Hilton Hotels has launched a coordinated campaign in Minneapolis to REFUSE service to DHS law enforcement,’ the DHS X account wrote on Monday afternoon.
Pictured: A man being retained by a federal agent on Wednesday
A federal agent retains protesters trying to block vehicles in the streets of Minneapolis
Pictured: A federal agent running toward residents
‘When officers attempted to book rooms using official government emails and rates, Hilton Hotels maliciously CANCELLED their reservations.’
Hilton responded, telling Fox: ‘Hilton Hotels serve as welcoming places for all.’
Lakeville Hampton Inn has been ordered to remove all Hilton branding as of Tuesday after head office learned a policy barring Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents was still in effect.
‘The independent hotel owner had assured us that they had fixed this problem and published a message confirming this,’ a Hilton corporate spokesperson said on Tuesday.
But conservative influencer Nick Sorter shared a video of himself approaching hotel staff late on Monday night claiming to be a DHS employee seeking a room.
In the footage, the front desk worker told him the hotel was not allowing federal officers conducting immigration enforcement to book rooms.
The worker stated he was not aware of any changes to that policy, despite hotel management firm Everpeak Hospitality issuing a statement hours earlier vowing it was committed to ‘welcoming all guests.’
‘I just talked to the owner of the building, and he didn’t say there had been any changes,’ the employee said.
