Federal and local law enforcement flooded a stretch of south Minneapolis Wednesday morning after a shooting involving federal immigration agents set off protests, chemical spray, and a sharp political backlash.
The incident unfolded near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue, where city officials confirmed “a shooting involving federal law enforcement” and urged residents to avoid the area, according to CBS News Minnesota. A source with the Department of Homeland Security told CBS the situation involved a vehicle-ramming-related incident. Authorities have not released details about who fired a weapon or why. WCCO crews on the scene reported first responders performing CPR on one person. Another individual was seen inside a Minneapolis Fire Department vehicle with blood on their face.
🚨🚨 ICE Involved shooting, January 7, 2026, in south Minneapolis, Minnesota.
### Key Details (as of late afternoon January 7)
– Location — Near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue (close to Powderhorn Park).
– What Happened — Reports indicate federal agents shot a civilian… pic.twitter.com/bFA4oTfepc
— 🇺🇸 PhantomPatriot 🇺🇸 (@PhantomPatriot) January 7, 2026
By midmorning, the area had filled with federal agents, Minneapolis police, sheriff’s deputies, and protesters. Video captured by WCCO showed federal officers deploying chemical irritants after demonstrators began throwing snowballs at federal vehicles.
The confrontation escalated fast. A WCCO photojournalist said multiple Minneapolis City Council members walked the perimeter, attempting to calm the crowd and explain they were working to get Immigration and Customs Enforcement to leave the area.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey did not mince words. “I am aware of a shooting involving an ICE agent at 34th Street & Portland,” Frey said in a statement posted online. “The presence of federal immigration enforcement agents is causing chaos in our city. We’re demanding ICE leave the city immediately.”
BREAKING: Reports coming in from Minneapolis: A shooting occurred this morning near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue involving federal law enforcement. Heavy presence of ICE and Border Patrol agents on scene, including CBP Commander Gregory Bovino.
Witnesses say shots were… pic.twitter.com/GJsI4KQAoQ
— Gunther Eagleman™ (@GuntherEagleman) January 7, 2026
He added: “We stand rock solid with our immigrant and refugee communities.”
Gov. Tim Walz struck a calmer tone but acknowledged the gravity. “We are working to gather information on an ICE related shooting,” he wrote on X. “In the meantime, I ask folks to remain calm.” Sen. Tina Smith said she was “working as hard as I can to get answers.”
The violence came a day after Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara publicly warned that the growing federal presence could end badly.
“I’ve been concerned for weeks,” O’Hara said Tuesday. “The greatest risk to me is that there would be unrest or that there would be a tragedy.”
BREAKING: It appears that ICE just shot a woman in the face as she was driving away from them in Minneapolis, according to witnesses.
Things are spiraling fast in this country. This is so disturbing.pic.twitter.com/ZjX8hpxZ1Z
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) January 7, 2026
On Wednesday morning, that fear felt closer. A witness said she heard two gunshots, then a crash. She described a red truck with its airbag deployed and blood inside, and a woman on the roadside as ambulances struggled to get through. The witness said the injured woman was a mother “trying to flee from ICE agents.” Federal officials have not confirmed that account.
The Associated Press, via WSAZ3, reported that federal officers had been conducting a large immigration enforcement operation in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area, involving up to 2,000 agents. The crackdown is tied in part to fraud allegations involving Somali residents, according to DHS.
Ridiculous. Nobody is fooled into thinking this bafoonery is a reasonable use of taxpayer dollars.
It should not take 50 ICE agents to arrest one guy in a library. https://t.co/ISJt7mBzO9 pic.twitter.com/4QJ1tVtKx0
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) January 6, 2026
Video footage from the scene showed damaged vehicles, police tape, and angry crowds chanting “Shame!” at federal officers behind barricades. The scene echoed earlier immigration crackdowns in cities like Los Angeles and Chicago. The mood, witnesses said, was raw.
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office said its deputies were sent to assist but were not involved in the incident. The county attorney’s office said it was aware of the situation. As of midday, no clear account had been released explaining how the shooting began, who was injured, or whether anyone had been arrested.
What was clear was the standoff. Federal agents remained. Protesters stayed. City leaders demanded withdrawal. And a neighborhood was left blocked off, tense, and waiting for answers that hadn’t arrived yet.
