A second fatal shooting involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis has intensified protests across the city, with tens of thousands of demonstrators braving subzero temperatures to demand the withdrawal of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers from Minnesota. The 51-year-old victim was shot dead near Nicollet Avenue and 26th Street in south Minneapolis on Saturday morning, just hours after one of the largest protest marches in the city's recent history.
The Department of Homeland Security stated that the man had a firearm with two magazines and that an agent fired defensive shots after fearing for his life and the safety of fellow officers. Medical personnel on scene provided immediate aid, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. This incident follows the controversial shooting of Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother and United States citizen, on January 7, which initially sparked the wave of protests sweeping through the city.
On Friday, organizers claimed up to 50,000 people marched through downtown Minneapolis in what they described as the largest demonstration since the George Floyd protests of 2020. Protesters endured temperatures as low as minus 29 degrees Celsius as they gathered at the Target Center arena before marching through city streets. Approximately 100 clergy members were arrested at Minneapolis-Saint Paul International Airport after staging a peaceful demonstration demanding the withdrawal of the estimated 3,000 federal officers deployed to the region.
Governor Tim Walz responded forcefully to Saturday's shooting, stating he had spoken to the White House directly. The governor declared that Minnesota had reached its breaking point and demanded that the president end the operation immediately. He characterized the federal agents as violent and untrained, calling for their immediate removal from the state. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey echoed these demands, insisting that ICE leave the city and state without delay.
The protests have drawn support from various sectors of Minnesota society, with over 700 small businesses, faith organizations, and educators closing their doors on Friday in solidarity. Federal agents and protesters clashed near the site of Saturday's shooting, with agents deploying tear gas and chemical irritants as the state patrol declared the gathering an unlawful assembly. Civil rights organizations have called for federal accountability and an independent investigation into both shootings, as community tensions between local officials and the Trump administration continue to escalate.
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