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Minneapolis immigration stop shooting
On the evening of Jan. 14 in north Minneapolis, federal immigration officers conducting what DHS described as a targeted traffic stop shot and wounded a Venezuelan man in the leg after the man fled, according to multiple accounts.
“DHS said the man, a Venezuelan national it says is in the U.S. illegally, fled, crashed his car, ran on foot and then “violently assault[ed]” an officer, who fired “defensive shots” and struck him in the leg; the man and the officer were treated at hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries.”
DHS and local reporting place the encounter at about 6:50 p.m.
DHS said the man fled on foot and assaulted an officer, and that two people from a nearby apartment then attacked the officer with a shovel and a broom handle.
The officer fired in self-defense, and the wounded man was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
The officer was also hospitalized, and two others were taken into custody.
Minneapolis shooting response
A shooting quickly drew a crowd and renewed clashes between demonstrators and federal officers in north Minneapolis.
Multiple outlets reported large gatherings that included mostly peaceful protesters alongside people who threw fireworks, snowballs and other projectiles.
Law enforcement reportedly responded in some accounts with flash-bangs, chemical irritants, pepper balls and tear gas.
City leaders, including Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Brian O'Hara, urged calm, reiterated support for immigrant communities and in several reports demanded that ICE leave the city and state.
Minnesota enforcement surge
The incident unfolded against the backdrop of an earlier deadly encounter and an expanded federal enforcement surge in Minnesota.
“U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez said she will keep litigation over the federal immigration crackdown 'on the front burner,' giving the Justice Department until Monday to respond to a request for a restraining order and saying the issues are 'grave and important' with few legal precedents.”
Reports repeatedly note the shooting occurred about 4–4.5 miles from where ICE agents fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good on Jan. 7.
Reports also say the broader DHS and ICE operations have prompted lawsuits and fast-moving court action.
U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez has been handling requests to pause the federal operation and fast-tracked responses from the Justice Department, while state and city officials have sued, saying the surge violates constitutional rights.
Variations in news reporting
Reporting varies on verification and granular details: several outlets reproduce DHS's account from its posts and spokespeople, while others explicitly note they have not independently verified the agency's claims and point to social-media video that does not clearly show the shooting.
News organizations also differ in how much additional detail they include — some mention a vehicle crash during the chase and that the wounded man was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, while a few outlets added background details (for example, TMZ reported the man 'had been released into the U.S. in 2022').
Overall, accounts agree on the core elements (a federal stop, a struggle, a defensive shot, hospitalizations, arrests) but differ in emphasis and what they treat as verified.