A US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer shot a woman in Minneapolis, Minnesota, who, according to American authorities, tried to ram an ICE patrol with her car, writes the BBC.
The department called the victim's behavior an act of "domestic terrorism," and the patrol's response — self-defense.
The incident occurred during a protest against ICE's immigration enforcement actions, local media reported.
"Attempting to run over our law enforcement officers with the intent to kill them is an act of domestic terrorism," stated the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees ICE.
"An ICE officer, fearing for his life, the lives of his fellow law enforcement officers, and public safety, fired shots in self-defense," the statement also said.
According to CBS television channel — a media partner of the BBC — the deceased is 37-year-old poet Rena Good, a US citizen and local resident.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey sharply criticized the federal authorities' statement, especially the part where the shooting was described as an act of self-defense, calling this version a "garbage narrative."
Meanwhile, the Department of Homeland Security claims that there are injured ICE officers who, the statement said, will "fully recover."
It is not yet known how many service members were injured or what specific injuries they sustained.
According to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara, the woman was in a car blocking the roadway. At some point, O'Hara said, an ICE officer approached her, after which the car began to move away, and then at least two shots were fired.
The shooting reportedly occurred at the intersection of 34th Street and Portland Avenue in Minneapolis.
On Wednesday, violent protests took place in several Minnesota cities against immigration enforcement measures carried out by the Trump administration, aimed at arresting and deporting undocumented migrants.
As the local CBS affiliate showed, ICE officers used pepper spray and pushed protestors.
Channel employees claim that a video of the shooting incident is circulating among local residents, and one of their reporters saw the clip.
"It's impossible to imagine that this woman deserved death for her actions," one eyewitness told the television channel.
US Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, who flew to Minneapolis, outlined the official version of events that led to the shooting. According to her, ICE officers were returning to the office after completing an operation when one of their vehicles got stuck in the snow.
Agents were trying to push the car when a group of protesters gathered around them, who, according to the secretary, had been tracking the officers all day and attempting to block their movement.
According to Noem's version, the woman who was shot "turned her car into a weapon" and directed it at the officers with the intent to "kill" them.
Noem stated that one of the agents was hit by this woman, adding that he had previously been struck by a car in an incident in June. She called the agent who opened fire an "experienced" officer who acted in "self-defense."
Noem also reported that an FBI investigation would be conducted and that ICE operations would continue.
State Governor and City Mayor – Against Trump
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz accused the immigration policy of Donald Trump's administration of aiming to create an atmosphere of fear and sensational media headlines. This statement came after a US federal agent shot a woman.
According to him, the state does not need additional "help" from Washington in maintaining order. Walz announced that he is ready to deploy the Minnesota National Guard.
Earlier, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called on federal immigration officers to leave the city.
The tragedy in Minnesota became a sharp escalation amidst another wave of immigration operations across the US.
After taking office for a second term, Trump authorized the deployment of hundreds of National Guard troops and ICE officers to various US cities to, in his words, deal with "crime that is out of control."
Comments