Federal Officer Shoots Man in Leg During Minneapolis Arrest After Violent Attack, Sparking Tension and Protest

A federal law enforcement officer shot a man in the leg in Minneapolis during an arrest operation Wednesday evening after reportedly being attacked, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said. The incident occurred as part of a targeted traffic stop that escalated into violence and drew renewed protests over federal immigration enforcement actions in the city.

According to DHS, federal officers initiated a traffic stop around 6:50 p.m. local time involving a Venezuelan national who entered the United States illegally in 2022. The man allegedly fled the scene in his vehicle, crashed into a parked car, and then ran on foot.

As the officer caught up with the suspect, a struggle broke out, and two other individuals emerged from a nearby apartment and began attacking the officer with a snow shovel and broom handle, according to the agency’s statement. Fearing for his life during what DHS described as an ambush, the officer fired defensive shots, striking the man in the leg.

All three individuals were reportedly taken into custody after barricading themselves inside the residence, and both the federal officer and the wounded man were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries.

The shooting took place shortly after ongoing unrest in Minneapolis following a previous fatal encounter between Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and a local woman, which sparked widespread protests. Law enforcement at the latest scene deployed tear gas to disperse crowds, with officers in gas masks confronting demonstrators near the north Minneapolis intersection.

Officials in the city have urged calm amid heightened tensions over federal immigration raids and law enforcement operations, with community leaders calling for restraint as legal battles and street protests continue.