By Michael Phillips | WIBayNews Staff
For the second time in a single week, Minneapolis is the scene of a high-profile officer-involved shooting tied to federal immigration enforcement. But unlike the narrative being pushed from City Hall, this latest incident was not a reckless use of force—it was a violent ambush that left a federal officer beaten on the ground with a shovel and a broom handle.
And once again, Minnesota’s political leadership appears more focused on blaming ICE than on acknowledging the facts.
What Actually Happened in North Minneapolis
According to statements from the Department of Homeland Security and reporting across multiple outlets, federal agents conducted a targeted traffic stop around 6:50 p.m. Tuesday evening in the 600 block of 24th Avenue North.
The suspect—a Venezuelan national who entered the U.S. illegally and was released in 2022—fled the stop, crashed into a parked vehicle, and ran on foot. When an ICE officer caught up and attempted to arrest him, the suspect violently resisted, taking the officer to the ground.
That’s when the situation escalated.
Two additional individuals emerged from a nearby apartment and joined the assault, striking the officer with a snow shovel and a broom handle. DHS described the encounter as an “ambush” involving three attackers.
Facing repeated blows and fearing for his life, the officer fired his weapon, striking the primary suspect in the leg. The injury was non-life-threatening. Both the officer and the suspect were transported to the hospital. The two additional attackers were later taken into custody after barricading themselves inside the apartment.
These are not disputed facts.
The Political Response: Ignore the Assault, Blame ICE
Yet within hours, Minneapolis officials moved to frame the incident not as an act of self-defense, but as another example of federal “chaos.”
Jacob Frey and Police Chief Brian O’Hara urged calm while again demanding that ICE “leave the city and state immediately.” City statements emphasized support for immigrant communities but made little mention of the officer being beaten by three people with improvised weapons.
Instead, public remarks focused on condemning ICE’s presence itself—despite the fact that Minneapolis Police were not involved in the shooting and arrived only afterward for crowd control.
This selective framing matters.
When leaders omit or downplay the violent assault that precipitated the shooting, they create a misleading impression that federal agents are firing indiscriminately. That narrative fuels outrage, not understanding.
Protests Fueled by Partial Information
Predictably, protests erupted almost immediately.
Crowds gathered near the scene, shouting at federal agents, throwing snowballs and fireworks, and clashing with law enforcement. Authorities deployed tear gas and flash-bangs to disperse the crowd as tensions escalated into the night.
Federal officials have warned that rhetoric from state and local leaders has consequences. DHS has cited a dramatic increase in assaults on federal officers nationwide, arguing that repeated calls to “resist” enforcement embolden attacks like the one seen Tuesday night.
Whether one agrees with that assessment or not, the Minneapolis incident illustrates a dangerous reality: when political leaders signal that federal law enforcement is illegitimate, some people will feel justified in taking matters into their own hands—sometimes violently.
Context Missing From the Conversation
This shooting occurred exactly one week after a separate, fatal ICE-involved shooting in the city. That earlier incident is still under investigation and has understandably heightened emotions.
But collapsing these two events into a single moral narrative ignores critical differences. In Tuesday’s case, video, witness accounts, and official statements consistently show an officer under direct physical attack by multiple assailants using blunt objects.
Self-defense under those circumstances is not controversial in any other context. It should not become controversial simply because the badge reads “ICE.”
Leadership Requires Honesty, Not Omission
Minnesota’s leaders have every right to criticize federal immigration policy. They do not have the right to obscure facts when violence occurs.
If city officials want calm, they should start by telling the whole story—including the part where an officer was beaten on the ground by three people wielding a shovel and a broom.
Failing to do so doesn’t protect communities. It inflames them.
And as Minneapolis continues to grapple with protests, federal operations, and deep political divides, one thing is becoming clear: suppressing inconvenient facts is not de-escalation. It’s gasoline.
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