An officer from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) fatally shot a woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday. Authorities reported that the woman had used her vehicle in an attempt to run over federal officers during a specific enforcement operation.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a statement indicating that protesters had begun obstructing ICE officers. According to the DHS, one of the protesters attempted to “weaponize her vehicle” against law enforcement officials, an action they labeled as “domestic terrorism.”
“An ICE officer, fearing for his life, the lives of his colleagues, and the safety of the public, discharged his weapon in defense. His training enabled him to protect himself and his fellow officers,” the agency stated.
The DHS further noted, “The alleged assailant was struck and has died. Fortunately, the ICE officers who were injured are expected to fully recover.”
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) personnel were visible at the site where a vehicle driver was shot in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 7, 2026. (REUTERS/Tim Evans)
Footage from the scene depicted ICE officers releasing tear gas to disperse the crowd and moving protesters who had locked arms in an attempt to prevent a truck from proceeding through the area.
“Move!” a law enforcement officer is heard repeatedly saying.
A person in the crowd then yells, “We don’t want you here.”
Minneapolis’ official X account posted earlier that it was aware of a shooting involving federal law enforcement near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue and warned the public to “avoid this area.”
A man receives medical treatment after being exposed to a chemical irritant during federal law enforcement operations on Jan. 7, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Stephen Maturen/Getty)
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News the incident was a “direct consequence of constant attacks and demonization of our officers by sanctuary politicians who fuel and encourage rampant assaults on our law enforcement who are facing 1,300% increase in assaults against them and an 8,000% increase in death threats.”
She said DHS will provide more information as soon as it becomes available.
At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the woman who was shot was 37-years-old.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told reporters she was shot in the head, and was later pronounced dead at the Hennepin County Medical Center.
Members of law enforcement work the scene following a suspected shooting by an ICE agent during federal operations on January 7, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Stephen Maturen/Getty)
“We’ve dreaded this moment since the early stages of this ICE presence in Minneapolis. Not only is this a concern that we’ve had internally, we’ve been talking about it. They are not here to cause safety in this city. What they are doing is not to provide safety in America,” said Frey. “What they are doing is causing chaos and distrust. They’re ripping families apart. They’re sowing chaos on our streets and, in this case, quite literally killing people.”
Frey rejected claims that the incident was an act of self-defense, saying after viewing the video himself, such assertions were “bull—.”
He then told ICE to get the “f— out” of Minneapolis.
“We do not want you here. Your stated reason for being in this city is to create some kind of safety, and you are doing exactly the opposite,” he added.
O’Hara said the Minneapolis Police Department secured the crime scene and that the investigation is now being jointly led by the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to determine whether any state laws were violated.
