Minneapolis Schools Closed Amid Rising Anti-ICE Protests Following Fatal Incident

The investigation into the tragic killing of a U.S. citizen by an ICE agent in Minneapolis has become increasingly complicated due to tensions between federal and local officials. This week, the FBI took control of the investigation, despite objections from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

State authorities have raised concerns about the integrity of a federal probe, especially in light of comments from Trump administration officials that appeared to exonerate the officer involved. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) stated that after being invited to participate in the investigation of Wednesday’s shooting, federal officials later decided that the state would not have access to crucial evidence or interviews.

Without this material, the BCA expressed its inability to be part of the investigation. “Now that Minnesota has been taken out of the investigation, it feels very, very difficult that we will get a fair outcome,” Walz remarked during a press conference on Thursday.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem addressed reporters in New York, asserting that Minnesota lacks jurisdiction over the investigation. She characterized the victim, 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, as a domestic terrorist and claimed that the officer who shot her acted in accordance with established protocols.

“This is an experienced officer who followed his training, and we will continue to let the investigation unfold,” Noem stated. She added that Good and others had been following and harassing the officers, impeding law enforcement operations, which she described as illegal.

Following the incident, the agent who shot Good was treated at a hospital and later released. Reports from the Minnesota Star Tribune identified him as Jonathan Ross, noting that he had previously sustained injuries during an arrest in June when he was dragged by a vehicle.

Shortly thereafter, Vice President JD Vance defended the decision to exclude Minnesota officials from the investigation. “The precedent here is very simple,” he explained to reporters in Washington. “You have a federal law enforcement official engaging in federal law enforcement action. That’s a federal issue.”

Vance further stated that the agent who fired the fatal shot is “protected by absolute immunity” while performing his duties. He acknowledged the tragedy of Good’s death but suggested it was a result of her own actions.

Such comments have drawn criticism, with many arguing that they imply a premature justification of the shooting, despite the ongoing investigation. As ICE continued its immigration enforcement efforts in the Twin Cities, protests erupted, leading to tense standoffs between demonstrators and federal agents. The Minneapolis public school system subsequently canceled classes for the remainder of the week.

The starkly opposing views surrounding the incident reflect deep divisions in the U.S. regarding President Trump’s immigration enforcement policies. Progressives have condemned the shooting as unjustified, while conservatives have defended the actions of the federal agents involved. Both sides have cited the same videos of the encounter, interpreting them through vastly different lenses.

During a meeting in the Oval Office, Trump accused Good of running over the ICE officer. However, New York Times reporters showed him slow-motion surveillance footage of the incident, which did not appear to support his claim. Trump reportedly described the scene as “terrible” and expressed his dismay.

On Thursday, several dozen protesters gathered outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, where they were outnumbered by federal agents. CNN reported that some demonstrators were taken into custody, and both agents and protesters donned gas masks as tensions escalated.

Federal agents began arriving in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area in early December as part of “Operation Metro Surge,” which the Trump administration announced would involve up to 2,000 federal agents and had already led to approximately 1,500 arrests.

Reports surfaced that armed Border Patrol officers had entered Roosevelt High School on Wednesday, tackling individuals and using chemical agents on bystanders, according to Minnesota Public Radio.

The shooting occurred in a residential area of Minneapolis, just three miles south of downtown. Footage captured the moments leading up to the incident, showing a Honda Pilot blocking the road as federal agents approached. As one agent attempted to open the door, the SUV backed up slightly, prompting a third agent to fire at the driver as the vehicle began to turn and move forward.

Tom Homan, the administration’s border czar, emphasized the need for patience, stating, “Let the investigation play out and hold people accountable based on the investigation.”

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K-12

The investigation into the tragic killing of a U.S. citizen by an ICE agent in Minneapolis has become increasingly complicated due to tensions between federal and local officials. This week, the FBI took control of the investigation, despite objections from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

State authorities have raised concerns about the integrity of a federal probe, especially in light of comments from Trump administration officials that appeared to exonerate the officer involved. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) stated that after being invited to participate in the investigation of Wednesday’s shooting, federal officials later decided that the state would not have access to crucial evidence or interviews.

Without this material, the BCA expressed its inability to be part of the investigation. “Now that Minnesota has been taken out of the investigation, it feels very, very difficult that we will get a fair outcome,” Walz remarked during a press conference on Thursday.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem addressed reporters in New York, asserting that Minnesota lacks jurisdiction over the investigation. She characterized the victim, 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good, as a domestic terrorist and claimed that the officer who shot her acted in accordance with established protocols.

“This is an experienced officer who followed his training, and we will continue to let the investigation unfold,” Noem stated. She added that Good and others had been following and harassing the officers, impeding law enforcement operations, which she described as illegal.

Following the incident, the agent who shot Good was treated at a hospital and later released. Reports from the Minnesota Star Tribune identified him as Jonathan Ross, noting that he had previously sustained injuries during an arrest in June when he was dragged by a vehicle.

Shortly thereafter, Vice President JD Vance defended the decision to exclude Minnesota officials from the investigation. “The precedent here is very simple,” he explained to reporters in Washington. “You have a federal law enforcement official engaging in federal law enforcement action. That’s a federal issue.”

Vance further stated that the agent who fired the fatal shot is “protected by absolute immunity” while performing his duties. He acknowledged the tragedy of Good’s death but suggested it was a result of her own actions.

Such comments have drawn criticism, with many arguing that they imply a premature justification of the shooting, despite the ongoing investigation. As ICE continued its immigration enforcement efforts in the Twin Cities, protests erupted, leading to tense standoffs between demonstrators and federal agents. The Minneapolis public school system subsequently canceled classes for the remainder of the week.

The starkly opposing views surrounding the incident reflect deep divisions in the U.S. regarding President Trump’s immigration enforcement policies. Progressives have condemned the shooting as unjustified, while conservatives have defended the actions of the federal agents involved. Both sides have cited the same videos of the encounter, interpreting them through vastly different lenses.

During a meeting in the Oval Office, Trump accused Good of running over the ICE officer. However, New York Times reporters showed him slow-motion surveillance footage of the incident, which did not appear to support his claim. Trump reportedly described the scene as “terrible” and expressed his dismay.

On Thursday, several dozen protesters gathered outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building, where they were outnumbered by federal agents. CNN reported that some demonstrators were taken into custody, and both agents and protesters donned gas masks as tensions escalated.

Federal agents began arriving in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area in early December as part of “Operation Metro Surge,” which the Trump administration announced would involve up to 2,000 federal agents and had already led to approximately 1,500 arrests.

Reports surfaced that armed Border Patrol officers had entered Roosevelt High School on Wednesday, tackling individuals and using chemical agents on bystanders, according to Minnesota Public Radio.

The shooting occurred in a residential area of Minneapolis, just three miles south of downtown. Footage captured the moments leading up to the incident, showing a Honda Pilot blocking the road as federal agents approached. As one agent attempted to open the door, the SUV backed up slightly, prompting a third agent to fire at the driver as the vehicle began to turn and move forward.

Tom Homan, the administration’s border czar, emphasized the need for patience, stating, “Let the investigation play out and hold people accountable based on the investigation.”

Topics
K-12