MINNEAPOLIS — A federal immigration agent shot a Venezuelan man in the leg Wednesday evening in north Minneapolis, exactly one week after an ICE officer fatally shot 37-year-old resident Renee Nicole Good, prompting Mayor Jacob Frey to renew his demand that federal agents leave the city.
The shooting occurred around 6:50 p.m. on the 600 block of 24th Avenue North, approximately 4.5 miles from where Good was killed on January 7. The incident sparked immediate protests, with demonstrators clashing with law enforcement into the night.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, federal officers were conducting a targeted traffic stop when the Venezuelan man, who entered the U.S. in 2022, allegedly fled in his vehicle, crashed into a parked car and ran toward a nearby residence. DHS said two additional people emerged from an apartment and all three individuals attacked the officer with what the agency described as a snow shovel and broom handle.
The officer fired what DHS characterized as defensive shots, striking the Venezuelan man in the leg. All three individuals then retreated into the apartment and barricaded themselves inside. Both the wounded man and the officer were transported to hospitals. The man’s injuries were described as non-life-threatening.
At a late-night press conference held around 10:15 p.m., Frey and Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara addressed the shooting and the protests that followed. Frey declared the current situation “not sustainable” and demanded ICE withdraw from Minneapolis.
“I’ve seen conduct from ICE that is disgusting and is intolerable,” Frey said. “If it were your city, it would be unacceptable there, too.”
The mayor urged protesters to remain peaceful or go home, warning that violent protests were not helping undocumented immigrants in the city. O’Hara confirmed that Minneapolis police did not fire any shots during the incident but that officers responded to assist with crowd control as protests escalated.
O’Hara declared the gathering an unlawful assembly after protesters threw fireworks, rocks, ice and snowballs at officers. Law enforcement deployed chemical irritants including tear gas and flashbangs to disperse the crowd. Mutual aid was requested from the Minnesota State Patrol and Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.
The incident came hours after Governor Tim Walz delivered a rare primetime address calling on President Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem to “end this occupation” of Minnesota. Walz described the federal operation as “a campaign of organized brutality against the people of Minnesota by our own federal government.”
DHS criticized Walz and Frey in a statement, accusing them of “actively encouraging an organized resistance to ICE and federal law enforcement officers.” The agency said the attack on the officer occurred while Minnesota’s top leaders were promoting resistance against agents “simply trying to do their jobs.”
Frey acknowledged at Wednesday’s press conference that city residents have been asking Minneapolis police officers to “fight ICE agents on the streets.” He emphasized that the city cannot be in a position where two governmental entities are fighting each other.
The shooting occurred during Operation Metro Surge, which DHS has called its largest immigration enforcement operation to date. More than 2,400 people have been arrested in Minnesota since the operation began in November 2025, with approximately 2,000 additional agents deployed to the Minneapolis area as of January 6.
The January 7 shooting of Good, a 37-year-old mother of three who was acting as a legal observer during protests against ICE operations, remains under investigation. ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot Good multiple times at close range while she was in her vehicle. Good died at Hennepin County Medical Center.
The Trump administration has characterized Good’s actions as “domestic terrorism,” claiming she deliberately targeted Ross with her vehicle. Minnesota officials dispute this account, citing videos showing Good attempting to drive away. Footage shows Good’s car slowly reversing and then moving forward, with Ross walking in front of the vehicle before opening fire.
Public opinion polling has shown significant opposition to the ICE shooting. A CNN poll released this week found 56 percent of Americans believe the use of force against Good was inappropriate, compared to 26 percent who deemed it appropriate. Similar margins were found in polls by Marquette University Law School and YouGov.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, along with Frey and St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her, filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration seeking to halt federal immigration operations in the state. They claim Operation Metro Surge has led to warrantless arrests, excessive force and constitutional violations. A judge declined Wednesday morning to issue a temporary restraining order, requesting further evidence before ruling.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension announced it is not conducting a full investigation into the Good shooting after the FBI informed the state agency that the U.S. Attorney’s Office reversed its decision to pursue a joint investigation. The BCA said it lacks access to evidence, witnesses and information necessary to meet investigative standards.
Frey told reporters the city has been in contact with federal authorities throughout the day and reiterated his position that ICE should leave Minneapolis immediately. He said agents were creating the chaos they claimed to be preventing.
