Members of law enforcement work the scene following a suspected shooting by an ICE agent during federal law enforcement operations on Jan. 7, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. According to federal officials, the agent, “fearing for his life” killed a woman during a confrontation in south Minneapolis. Stephen Maturen / Getty Images
ICE officer fatally shoots driver through car window in Minneapolis
The Wednesday morning shooting sparked protests in Minneapolis following what DHS officials labeled "an act of domestic terrorism."
An ICE officer shot a woman driving an SUV through her car window in south Minneapolis on Wednesday morning. The person is dead, according to a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security.
Video of the incident shared with the Reformer shows masked ICE officers approach a Honda Pilot stopped in the middle of Portland Avenue near 34th Street. One officer tells the driver to “get out of the f*cking car” and tries to open the door. The driver then slowly backs up and then pulls forward. An officer at the front of the vehicle fires three shots and the SUV travels a short distance before crashing into a parked car.
The witness who took the video, Caitlin Callenson, said she was on a walk when she saw an ICE vehicle stuck in the snow. As more ICE vehicles arrived, bystanders blew whistles in protest, and the driver of the SUV tried to block the ICE vehicles.
Callenson said she did not see ICE agents attempting to detain anyone leading up to or after the shooting.
After the shots were fired, the driver was “then was completely slumped over in the vehicle,” said Emily Heller, another witness. Federal agents wouldn’t allow a man who said he is a physician to examine the driver, Heller said. Emergency medical technicians arrived 15 minutes later, she said.
Tricia McLaughlin, assistant Secretary Dept. of Homeland Security, writing on X, gave a different version of what happened: “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. An ICE officer, fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow law enforcement and the safety of the public, fired defensive shots.”
Dozens of federal agents from ICE and the FBI, as well as Minneapolis police officers and Hennepin County sheriff’s deputies responded to the scene
As some federal officers attempted to leave, protestors blocked their vehicle. The officers fired a noxious gas at close range, causing distress and vomiting for many demonstrators and journalists.
Protests are ongoing.
Protesters hurled insults at Minneapolis Police officers, who are not supposed to assist with immigration enforcement, but were on the scene Wednesday morning.
City Council members including Robin Wonsley and Jamal Osman addressed the crowd, saying the area was an active crime scene, and that MPD was present to investigate.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty issued a statement soon after the shooting saying she is “pushing hard for a local investigation which is the only way to ensure full transparency and review by our office.”
Rep. Betty McCollum, D-Minn., called on Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who filmed herself observing ICE actions in Minneapolis on Tuesday, to immediately stop the ICE operation “to restore order and prevent further injuries.”
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