Minneapolis, Jan 08 (V7N) – Minnesota state officials on Wednesday urged calm after a federal immigration agent shot and killed a thirty-seven-year-old woman in Minneapolis, an incident that quickly sparked protests and renewed debate over federal immigration enforcement and use of force.

The woman has been identified as Renee Nicole Good by Minneapolis City Council President Elliott Payne and multiple media outlets, citing her family. Officials said Good was a United States citizen. Representative Ilhan Omar described her as a legal observer, while Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara stated that Good did not appear to be the target of any law enforcement investigation or enforcement action.

The shooting occurred during a federal immigration operation in Minneapolis. According to the Department of Homeland Security, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fired what it described as defensive shots after Good allegedly struck an officer with her vehicle. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said the officer was briefly hospitalized and later released.

Local officials strongly disputed that account. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said video footage shows Good driving away from federal agents, not toward them, and rejected claims that the shooting was an act of self-defense. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the incident “totally avoidable” and appealed for peaceful demonstrations, referencing the city’s painful history following the killing of George Floyd.

Video circulating on social media shows several law enforcement officers approaching a dark red SUV and shouting commands. The vehicle appears to reverse and then move forward, after which an officer standing near the front of the car fired into it. The vehicle then crashed into several parked cars as bystanders screamed.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation has launched an investigation into the shooting. Separately, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is reviewing the federal agent’s use of force. Local authorities have increased security in the area amid ongoing protests.

The incident comes amid a large-scale immigration enforcement campaign launched by the Department of Homeland Security in Minnesota, which federal officials described as the largest immigration operation ever conducted in the state. Critics argue that the operation has heightened tensions and raised serious concerns about accountability and proportional use of force.

The Minneapolis shooting follows other recent incidents involving federal officers during immigration operations, including fatal and non-fatal shootings in Illinois, which remain under scrutiny. Civil rights advocates and local leaders have renewed calls for transparency, independent investigations, and restraint in federal enforcement actions as investigations continue.

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