A federal immigration agent shot an illegal Venezuelan illegal alien in the leg Wednesday evening in Minneapolis after the suspect allegedly fled a traffic stop, crashed his vehicle, and violently assaulted the officer with a snow shovel, according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The incident unfolded at approximately 6:50 p.m. local time when federal immigration officers attempted to stop the suspect, who was driving a vehicle in the city.

DHS said the migrant attempted to flee, ultimately crashing into a parked car. After the collision, the suspect exited the vehicle and tried to escape on foot.

According to an agency statement posted on X, the migrant then “violently assaulted the officer” as the two wrestled on the ground.

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During the struggle, DHS said two additional individuals emerged from a nearby apartment and joined the attack, allegedly striking the federal agent with a snow shovel and a broom handle.

DHS said that amid the chaos, the migrant managed to break free from the officer’s grasp and began striking the agent “with a shovel or broom stick.”

The officer, the department said, fired his weapon while “fearing for his life,” striking the Venezuelan migrant in the leg.

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Following the shooting, DHS said the wounded suspect and the two alleged attackers fled into the apartment building and barricaded themselves inside.

Federal agents later entered the residence and apprehended all three individuals.

The injured migrant and the officer were transported to a nearby hospital, while the two additional suspects were taken into custody.

The department said the individual originally targeted in the stop is an illegal immigrant who entered the United States in 2022.

At 6:50 PM CT, federal law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted traffic stop in Minneapolis of an illegal alien from Venezuela who was released into the country by Joe Biden in 2022.

In an attempt to evade arrest, the subject fled the scene in his vehicle and crashed… — Homeland Security (@DHSgov) January 15, 2026

Local reports described a heavy law enforcement presence in the area following the shooting.

Multiple sources told the Minnesota Star Tribune earlier Wednesday evening that a series of gunshots rang out after a car chase that moved through part of the Twin Cities.

KARE reported that federal agents converged on North Lyndale Avenue and 25th Avenue just before 8 p.m. local time, near a 21-acre park.

A photographer for the outlet observed at least one ambulance leaving the scene.

Later in the evening, tensions escalated as protesters gathered near the location of the shooting.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said during a late-night press briefing that individuals in the crowd began throwing fireworks at police officers.

In response, officers deployed tear gas to disperse the crowd.

“The crowd is engaging in unlawful acts,” O’Hara said.

“I urge anyone who is at the scene to leave immediately. This is already a very tense situation and we do not need this to escalate any further.”

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also addressed the unrest, criticizing protesters who engaged in destructive behavior and warning them not to escalate the situation.

“For anyone that is taking the bait tonight, stop. That is not helpful. Go home,” Frey said during the press conference.

“We cannot counter Donald Trump’s chaos with our own brand of chaos.”

The shooting occurred less than a week after another deadly confrontation involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis.

On that occasion, 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer Jonathan Ross after she allegedly attempted to “weaponize” her vehicle against federal agents during a protest near her home.

Good was killed at the intersection of 34th Avenue and Portland Avenue, a location just over six miles from where Wednesday night’s shooting took place.

Federal officials have said Ross acted in self-defense during the earlier incident.

The Department of Homeland Security has maintained that its officers face increasing dangers during enforcement actions and that violence against federal agents will be met with decisive responses.

Wednesday’s confrontation, followed by protests and clashes with police, marked another volatile chapter in an ongoing series of immigration-related incidents in Minneapolis that have drawn national attention and heightened security concerns for federal and local law enforcement alike.

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