President Donald Trump quickly went on social media to defend Immigration and Customs Enforcement after an ICE agent shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis. Rather than showing sympathy for the woman who died, Trump focused on defending the agent and attacking the woman, repeating claims that she was responsible for what happened.
The shooting happened on January 7, 2026, during a federal law enforcement operation in a residential neighborhood on the south side of Minneapolis. Videos recorded by bystanders show a tense and chaotic scene. ICE agents surrounded a Honda SUV that was stopped and blocked on a narrow street lined with parked cars and homes. One agent aggressively shouted at the woman inside the vehicle, using profanity and ordering her to get out. He tried to force the driver’s door open while she was still inside.
As the SUV began to move forward, another agent positioned near the front of the vehicle stepped aside and fired three shots into it. The shots were fired quickly, and immediately afterward the SUV continued forward and crashed into a parked car. The woman driving the vehicle was killed. Local officials later confirmed she was 37 years old and a U.S. citizen, though they did not release her name.
Later that afternoon, Trump posted on Truth Social and shared a blurry video filmed from far away. In his post, he claimed the woman yelling in the video was a “professional agitator” and said the driver was disorderly and resisting officers. He accused her of deliberately trying to run over an ICE officer and said the agent fired his weapon in self-defense. Trump wrote that it was hard to believe the officer survived and said the officer was recovering in the hospital. He ended his message by calling for support of law enforcement and blamed what he described as a “radical left movement” for violence and hatred.
However, other videos from much closer to the scene raise serious questions about that version of events. In footage not shared by Trump, the agent who fired the shots can be seen standing off to the side of the vehicle for several seconds after shooting. The SUV crashes into a parked car while the agent remains standing, then slowly walks toward the vehicle. He does not appear to be hit or knocked down by the car.
The person filming can be heard screaming in shock as the shots ring out, repeatedly yelling and asking what the agent had just done. As the bystander walks closer to the crashed SUV, blood can be seen around the vehicle. A masked agent is seen calmly walking away and calling out for someone to dial 911. There is no visible urgency from many of the officers at the scene.
As the video continues, the person filming shouts that the woman was shot in the face. Multiple agents stand around, some walking slowly, while other law enforcement vehicles drive away from the area. The video continues for several minutes, showing officers talking casually and not rushing to provide aid. Onlookers can be heard yelling angrily, calling the agents murderers and expressing disbelief at what they just witnessed.
Photos taken afterward show a clear bullet hole on the right side of the SUV’s windshield, showing how close the shot was to the driver. The scene itself was especially disturbing because it took place on a quiet residential street, not in an active riot or violent confrontation.
The Department of Homeland Security later released a statement claiming that officers were dealing with “rioters” who were blocking law enforcement operations. They said the woman used her vehicle as a weapon and tried to run over officers, which they claim led to the agent firing his weapon. Witnesses and video evidence from the scene directly contradict this explanation, according to people who were present and those who reviewed the footage.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey strongly condemned ICE during a press conference later that day. He criticized the agency’s actions, questioned why such an operation was carried out in a residential neighborhood, and angrily demanded that ICE leave the city. His comments reflected growing outrage from residents who felt the shooting was unnecessary, reckless, and avoidable.
The incident has sparked widespread anger, fear, and debate, especially over the use of force by federal agents, the accuracy of official statements, and the president’s immediate decision to defend law enforcement while placing blame on a woman who lost her life.
