By Harshit
MINNEAPOLIS, JAN. 8, 2026 —
A U.S. immigration enforcement agent shot and killed a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday morning, triggering protests across the city and intensifying political tensions over federal immigration operations.
Federal authorities identified the woman as Renee Nicole Good. Officials from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said Good attempted to run over agents with her vehicle during an enforcement operation. City leaders, however, disputed that account, with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey accusing the agent who fired the shots of acting recklessly.
The shooting occurred around 10:25 a.m. local time on Portland Avenue, according to police. The Federal Bureau of Investigation has opened an investigation into the incident.
Video Footage Shows Moments Before Shooting
Videos shared widely on social media show immigration agents approaching a maroon SUV stopped in the middle of a residential street. Protesters appear nearby, lining the pavement as law-enforcement vehicles block portions of the road.
In the footage, agents are seen telling the driver to exit the vehicle. One agent pulls at the driver’s side door handle while another positions himself near the front of the SUV. As the vehicle begins to move, at least two gunshots are heard. The SUV then veers and crashes into a parked car.
It remains unclear from publicly available footage whether the agent was struck by the vehicle before opening fire.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the driver had been blocking the roadway when approached by a federal officer on foot and began to drive away shortly afterward.
Conflicting Accounts From Officials
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Good had been “stalking and impeding” officers throughout the day and attempted to “weaponise her vehicle” against an agent, describing the act as “domestic terrorism.” She said the agent fired “defensive shots” and was injured, later receiving treatment and being discharged from a local hospital.
The Minneapolis City Council rejected that characterisation, stating that Good had been “caring for her neighbours” and was not posing a threat. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also criticised federal statements, calling them misleading and pledging a “full, fair, and expeditious investigation.”
President Donald Trump, writing on Truth Social, said an ICE officer had been “viciously” run over and blamed what he called the “Radical Left” for escalating threats against law-enforcement officers.
Protests Erupt Across the City
By nightfall, hundreds of protesters gathered near the scene and in other parts of Minneapolis, holding vigils and demanding the withdrawal of federal immigration agents. Demonstrations were also reported in other U.S. cities, including New Orleans, Miami, Seattle, and New York City.
The shooting occurred roughly one mile from the intersection where George Floyd was killed in 2020, a fact that intensified public reaction and drew comparisons from community leaders.
Minneapolis Public Schools announced the cancellation of classes for the remainder of the week, citing safety concerns after reports that federal agents had made arrests near a high school earlier in the day.
Why ICE Was Operating in Minneapolis
The Trump administration recently deployed more than 2,000 additional federal agents to the Minneapolis area, citing allegations of welfare and childcare fraud in Minnesota. The operation represents one of the largest concentrations of Department of Homeland Security personnel in a single U.S. city in recent years.
Mayor Frey said the federal presence was making the city less safe. “They’re ripping families apart and sowing chaos in our streets,” he said at a press conference.
The enforcement campaign has disproportionately affected Minneapolis’s Somali community, which has been repeatedly criticised by Trump. In recent weeks, the administration has also withheld federal childcare funds from Minnesota amid fraud allegations.
ICE said operations in the city would continue as the FBI conducts its investigation into the fatal shooting.