Federal immigration agents fatally shot a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident during an enforcement operation Saturday morning, touching off protests and a fast-moving dispute over who will lead the investigation as Gov. Tim Walz said he pressed the White House for Minnesota to take control.
CBS Minnesota reported Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said both the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the FBI were on the scene as the investigation began.
The question of who is leading the investigation remains unsettled in public statements.
Walz said he told the White House the state must lead the investigation, according to CBS Minnesota's live updates.
O'Hara said the shooting occurred near West 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue at about 9 a.m. and that the man was pronounced dead. O'Hara said authorities believed the man was a U.S. citizen and a lawful gun owner permitted to carry.
The Department of Homeland Security said Border Patrol agents fired "defensive shots" after the man approached officers with a 9mm handgun and "violently resisted" when they tried to disarm him. DHS said the officer who fired was an eight-year veteran of the Border Patrol.
Reuters reported that a video circulating online captured a confrontation on a snowy street followed by gunfire, as the incident drew immediate public outrage.
Hundreds of protesters gathered after the shooting, and immigration agents used tear gas as tensions rose.
Officials said the shooting was the latest in a string of violent encounters tied to the Trump administration's stepped-up immigration enforcement in Minneapolis this month.
It was the second fatal shooting involving federal agents in the city in January.
Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Jim Thomas ✉
Jim Thomas is a writer based in Indiana. He holds a bachelor's degree in Political Science, a law degree from U.I.C. Law School, and has practiced law for more than 20 years.
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