Minneapolis descended into chaos on Wednesday after another ICE-involved shooting. The protests against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations continue to grow.
Federal agents had to abandon their vehicles on Minneapolis streets following the shooting, which occurred after federal law enforcement officers attempted to conduct a targeted traffic stop around 6:50 p.m. Wednesday on the city’s Northside.
News of the shooting followed a statewide address by Gov. Tim Walz encouraging residents to document and record federal immigration operations.
Federal officers were trying to arrest an illegal alien from Venezuela who was released into the country by President Joe Biden in 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
The officer fired at the suspect, striking him in the leg, after the agent was assaulted, DHS said.
DHS shared details of the shooting, saying the subject tried to evade arrest and fled the scene in his vehicle. He crashed into a parked car and then fled on foot.
At 6:50 PM CT, federal law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted traffic stop in Minneapolis of an illegal alien from Venezuela who was released into the country by Joe Biden in 2022.
In an attempt to evade arrest, the subject fled the scene in his vehicle and crashed…
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) January 15, 2026
When the agent caught up with him on foot, the suspect began to resist and violently assault the officer. They struggled on the ground, and two subjects came out of a nearby apartment and attacked the law enforcement officer with a snow shovel and broom handle.
“As the officer was being ambushed and attacked by the two individuals, the original subject got loose and began striking the officer with a shovel or broom stick,” DHS said in a statement on X. “Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired a defensive shot to defend his life.”
All three subjects ran into the apartment and barricaded themselves inside, DHS said.
On Thursday morning, ICE also released the names of the three illegals involved.
“This is who Minnesota’s leaders and protestors are defending: three criminal illegal aliens who violently assaulted an ICE officer in an attempt to evade arrest and obstruct law enforcement,” ICE wrote on X. “Their actions forced the officer to fire in self-defense during yesterday’s incident in Minneapolis.”
Released by Minnesota authorities before ICE could even lodge a detainer, Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a criminal illegal alien from Venezuela, was the subject of the targeted enforcement operation after his conviction for driving without a license and arrests for two counts of giving a false name to a peace officer.
Alfredo Alejandro Ajorna, an illegal alien from Venezuela, illegally entered the United States in May 2023 under the Biden administration. After he failed to show up for his immigration hearing, he was issued a final order of removal.
Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma, a criminal illegal alien from Venezuela, who illegally entered the United States in May 2023 under the Biden administration. The Biden administration marked this illegal alien as a non-enforcement priority.
Gabriel Alejandro Hernandez-Ledezma, a criminal illegal alien from Venezuela, who illegally entered the United States in May 2023 under the Biden administration.
The Biden administration marked this illegal alien as a non-enforcement priority. pic.twitter.com/EQXWBkuScZ
— U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) January 15, 2026
As word spread in Minneapolis, a well-organized group of angry agitators swarmed the streets, shooting off fireworks and damaging several federal vehicles.
Reminiscent of the summer of 2020, the violent rioters slashed tires, broke windows and ripped a weapons locker out of a vehicle.
Footage from Nick Sortor on X shows the hoodie-wearing rioters breaking into the locker, taking a gun and bullets, as well as grabbing confidential papers. In another video, the rioters used a pickup truck and rope to rip a weapons locker out of a vehicle.
🚨 BREAKING: Minneapolis rioters successfully BROKE OPEN a weapons locker in a federal vehicle and STOLE A RIFLE and ammunition before fleeing
I captured the thief’s face and license plate on the getaway vehicle.
PLEASE SHARE and HELP IDENTIFY this POS.
I have forwarded this… pic.twitter.com/7rwfIsN7v6
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) January 15, 2026
Sortor posted a 7-minute video of the lawlessness mayhem, adding: “BREAKING: MULTIPLE ICE and FBI vehicles have been DESTROYED and LOOTED by rioters in Minneapolis after federal agents were forced to abandon them Agents gear, laptops, and personal information now LITTERS the street THIS IS ABSOLUTE ANARCHY INSURRECTION ACT NOW!”
At nearly the same time, Walz gave a televised address, where he continued with the inflammatory rhetoric. KTTC News posted the text of his full address here.
“Let’s be very, very clear this long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement,” Walz said. “Instead, it’s a campaign of organized brutality against the people of Minnesota by our own federal government.”
He continued: “Folks, I know it’s scary. And I know it’s absurd that we all have to be defending law and order, justice and humanity while also caring for our families and trying to do our jobs. So tonight let me say once again to Donald Trump and Kristi Noem: End at this occupation. You’ve done enough.”
Walz told Minnesotans to essentially take to the streets to witness and film ICE agents.
“Help us create a database of the atrocities against Minnesotans, not just to establish a record for posterity, but to bank evidence for future prosecution,” he said.
MN House Speaker and Republican candidate for governor, Lisa Demuth, responded to the address on “X”, posting:
“Gov. Walz could have spent tonight coordinating with ICE to honor detainers & keep criminals off our streets. Instead, he chose to go on TV & repeat tired talking points to appease activists who want to prevent deportation of even the most heinous criminals. MN deserves better.”
Civil unrest has spread as more than 2,000 federal immigration officers have been deployed to the state following reports of massive welfare fraud in the state. DHS officials have said more than 2,000 arrests have been made since the operation, dubbed Operation Metro Surge, began in December.
Meanwhile, a federal judge in Minneapolis on Wednesday declined to issue a temporary restraining order to block ICE operations, FOX 9 KMSP reported. Her ruling was in response to a lawsuit filed on Monday by Minnesota and Twin Cities officials to get ICE out of the city.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed for a temporary restraining order, alleging the immediate harm the state and cities are facing, and asked a judge to immediately halt ICE operations.
U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez, a Biden appointee, ordered the Trump administration to formally respond to Minnesota’s complaint by Monday, Jan. 19 and said she would rule on the broader issues after that.
The back-and-forth between Walz and Trump officials continued Thursday morning.
Walz took to social media, posting: “I am making a direct appeal to the President: Let’s turn the temperature down. Stop this campaign of retribution. This is not who we are.”
He added to Minnesotans: “I know this is scary. We can — we must — speak out loudly, urgently, but also peacefully. We cannot fan the flames of chaos. That’s what he wants.”
President Trump praised the judge’s decision on his Truth Social platform, but then threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act over the violent protests in Minneapolis.
“If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT, which many Presidents have done before me, and quickly put an end to the travesty that is taking place in that once great State,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey described the situation in the city as not “sustainable” in a post on X Wednesday night.
Tonight a man was shot in the leg by an ICE agent on the Northside.
No matter what led up to this incident, the situation we are seeing in our city is not sustainable.
— Mayor Jacob Frey (@MayorFrey) January 15, 2026
“Tonight, a man was shot in the leg by an ICE agent on the Northside,” Frey said. “No matter what led up to this incident, the situation we are seeing in our city is not sustainable.”
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem appeared on Fox News “America’s Newsroom” Thursday and said Walz needs to start working with law enforcement officers.
Noem said she has given Gov. Walz her direct phone number to call her, but emphasized the violent rioters are on the streets because of local leaders’ comments and lack of cooperation with federal officials.
Mayor Frey and Governor Walz’s inflammatory rhetoric and resistance have put a target on federal officers’ backs, Noem said.
“Sanctuary politicians in positions of leadership need to work with us — not against us,” Noem said in a another post on X. “Without the support of local authorities, DHS law enforcement is forced to locate criminal illegal aliens on America’s streets rather than in the jails of sanctuary jurisdictions.”
Sanctuary politicians in positions of leadership need to work with us – not against us. Without the support of local authorities, DHS law enforcement is forced to locate criminal illegal aliens on America’s streets rather than in the jails of sanctuary jurisdictions.
Mayor Jacob… pic.twitter.com/WkZcp2Vmop
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 15, 2026
