MINNEAPOLIS — A woman was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer Wednesday morning in the south Minneapolis neighborhood near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue as a sprawling federal immigration enforcement operation unfolded, sending shockwaves through the community and igniting protests that lasted throughout the day.
Around 10:30 a.m., Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officials said federal agents were carrying out targeted actions when a crowd gathered and tensions escalated. DHS described the incident as a “vehicle ramming related” confrontation, asserting the woman in a burgundy SUV allegedly tried to use her car to strike officers before one ICE agent fired in self‑defense. The woman was struck and later died from her injuries, authorities confirmed.
The scene became chaotic as more than a hundred federal agents, Minneapolis police, and passionate locals converged near the intersection. Witnesses and bystanders told reporters they saw a heavy law enforcement presence and the crashed SUV with a bullet hole through its driver‑side windshield. Two other parked cars seemed damaged in the aftermath, matching early accounts of a collision following the shooting.
Neighbors described confusing and frightening moments leading up to the shooting. One resident said she woke to loud voices and saw what looked like a standoff between officers and a driver trying to leave the area. According to that witness, the ICE agent stood close to the vehicle before firing several shots that struck the woman, who then crashed into a pole a short distance away. Officials have not yet released the woman’s identity.
The dramatic confrontation unfolded against the backdrop of one of the largest immigration enforcement efforts in Minnesota’s recent history. Federal officials have deployed about 2,000 agents to the Minneapolis–St. Paul region in a crackdown tied in part to alleged fraud involving local immigrant communities. The DHS called this its “largest operation ever.”
As news spread, residents and activists gathered near the scene in growing numbers. Demonstrators voiced anger at the federal presence, some throwing snowballs at officers. Law enforcement responded with pepper spray and other crowd‑control measures to contain the heated crowd. City leaders appealed for calm even amid rising tensions.
Local officials were quick to respond. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey criticized the federal operation, saying it was causing “chaos” in the city and demanding ICE withdraw immediately. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz confirmed state authorities were working to gather facts and urged residents to remain calm as the investigation continues.
At this stage, many details remain under active review, including whether the woman was directly targeted by ICE or simply caught in broader unrest. Authorities say further information will be released as the investigation unfolds, and formal identification of the victim has not yet been made public.
