An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer has shot a man in the leg in the US city of Minneapolis, where tensions have been running high since an ICE agent shot dead a woman last week.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that federal officers were conducting a targeted traffic stop when the Venezuelan national was shot after resisting arrest and assaulting an officer.
US officials said the man was shot after an ICE officer was attacked with a shovel. Fresh clashes erupted between protesters and law enforcement near the scene, prompting city officials to appeal for calm. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey described the situation as unsustainable.
Ongoing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement have escalated since the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent on January 7. Her death has sparked protests across Minneapolis and other US cities.
The injured man was transported to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries while the ICE officer also required medical attention for injuries sustained during the altercation.
The recent shooting led to renewed violence between demonstrators and law enforcement, with police reporting projectiles being thrown by protesters. Minneapolis city officials acknowledged the public's anger and urged for restraint.
They reiterated their demand for ICE to leave the city and state immediately. According to a DHS statement, the altercation began when the man exited his car and confronted an ICE officer after which two others allegedly joined in the attack.
The situation has drawn criticism from local leaders, including Minneapolis Mayor Frey, who accused federal officers of creating chaos, while around 3,000 federal officers have been deployed to Minnesota in recent weeks.
Video evidence from previous incidents shows ICE agents approaching vehicles during operations, and the FBI is investigating the details surrounding the shooting of Renee Nicole Good, amid conflicting accounts regarding the circumstances of her death.
