Summary of the Incident (January 7, 2026)

On January 7, 2026, in south Minneapolis (near 34th Street and Portland Avenue), an ICE agent fatally shot a 37-year-old woman during a large-scale federal immigration enforcement operation targeting alleged fraud in the Somali community. The operation involved over 2,000 DHS agents deployed to the Twin Cities area.Competing Narratives
  • Department of Homeland Security (DHS) version: The woman "weaponized her vehicle" by attempting to run over ICE agents who were conducting operations. Agents' vehicles reportedly got stuck in snow, and protesters/rioters blocked them. One agent fired "defensive shots" in self-defense after she allegedly rammed or tried to ram officers, describing it as an "act of domestic terrorism." DHS blames "sanctuary politicians" for encouraging assaults on agents.
  • Local officials' version (Mayor Jacob Frey, Gov. Tim Walz, Police Chief Brian O’Hara): They reviewed videos and called DHS claims "bullshit," "garbage," and "propaganda." Frey said the shooting was "reckless" use of power, not self-defense, and that the woman was not targeting agents. She appeared to be blocking the street or driving away, not attacking. The woman was described as a U.S. citizen (possibly a "legal observer" or protester), unarmed, and not the target of any investigation.
Multiple videos circulating on social media show agents approaching an SUV blocking the road, attempting to remove the driver, and one agent firing multiple shots into the windshield as the vehicle moves forward (bullet hole visible in windshield). Some angles suggest the agent was in front and sidestepped while firing; others show separation between the vehicle and agents.Mayor Jacob Frey's ResponseIn a press conference (featured in the BNO News post you shared), Frey strongly condemned ICE:
  • "To ICE: Get the fuck out of Minneapolis. We don't want you here."
  • He accused federal agents of "sowing chaos," "ripping families apart," and "killing people."
  • Frey said the presence of ICE is causing distrust and danger in immigrant communities, and demanded they leave immediately.
Gov. Tim Walz and Rep. Ilhan Omar echoed calls for ICE to withdraw and for a full investigation.Public Reaction on X and Beyond
  • The BNO News post has over 1.2 million views, with highly polarized replies:
    • Left-leaning users support Frey, calling ICE actions terrorizing communities.
    • Right-leaning users defend the shooting as justified self-defense, accuse Frey of inciting violence, and call for his arrest.
  • Protests erupted at the scene, with snowball-throwing, flag-burning, and clashes; police used chemical irritants.
  • President Trump commented, calling the footage "horrible" but blaming "Radical Left" rhetoric for violence against law enforcement, supporting the agent's self-defense.
The incident remains under investigation, with dueling accounts fueled by videos. Tensions are high amid the ongoing Trump administration immigration crackdown.