A St. Paul ICE shooting unfolded Sunday morning when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fired at a man after officials said he struck two agents with an SUV outside an apartment complex in Minnesota’s capital. The shots did not hit the man, and no one suffered life-threatening injuries, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
DHS said the man, described by the agency as a Cuban immigrant living in the United States illegally, was taken into custody after the incident. Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in an email that the man also bit an ICE agent as officers subdued him after he tried to flee on foot.
St. Paul police said they responded to reports of shots being fired, and later learned the shots came from an ICE agent, according to the account provided by DHS and police statements cited by reporting.
Encounter begins at the SUV, DHS says
According to DHS, ICE agents approached the man as he was getting into his SUV outside his apartment building. McLaughlin said agents identified themselves and attempted to speak with him through the vehicle window.
DHS said the man refused to roll down his window. McLaughlin said agents told him they would break the window if he continued not to comply, and the man then drove off, striking one agent with the SUV.
Officials said the man drove into a parking lot within the apartment complex, where agents stopped him again and ordered him out of the vehicle.
Second collision leads to shots being fired
DHS said the man instead rammed the SUV into an ICE vehicle, striking a second agent. At that point, an ICE agent fired shots that did not strike the man, according to McLaughlin’s account.
DHS said the man then rammed another ICE vehicle and got out of the SUV, attempting to flee into his apartment. Agents brought him to the ground outside the building and detained him, McLaughlin said.
McLaughlin said the man bit an ICE agent during the struggle.
Injuries are described as not life-threatening
McLaughlin said the man was not hurt by the gunfire and that injuries to the agents struck by the SUV were not life-threatening. She said the man and the agents were taken to a hospital for evaluation.
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Authorities did not immediately release additional details such as the man’s identity, potential charges, or whether any body-worn camera footage exists from the federal agents involved. DHS’s account was provided through McLaughlin’s email statement and reporting based on that statement.
How the man entered the U.S., according to DHS
McLaughlin said the detained man entered the United States in 2024 through a now-discontinued program from former President Joe Biden’s administration. DHS said the program allowed migrants without proper entry papers into the country while their asylum claims were reviewed.
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DHS did not provide further detail in the public account cited by reporting, and officials have not released documents in connection with the detention that would outline his immigration history beyond that description.
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Rising tensions around immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities
The incident comes amid heightened tension in the Minneapolis–St. Paul region, as federal immigration enforcement activity has increased, with protests and criticism focused on tactics used during arrests.
Last week, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara publicly criticized ICE tactics following a chaotic arrest that drew protesters and was captured on video, according to Reuters and other reporting.
Reuters
In St. Paul, immigration enforcement actions have also drawn demonstrations and political scrutiny. In recent weeks, the St. Paul City Council has moved to seek outside review of city police conduct during an ICE-related incident where chemical irritants and projectiles were used against demonstrators, according to local reporting.
What’s next
Authorities said the situation remains under review. St. Paul police responded to the initial “shots fired” report, but the incident centered on actions by federal agents and a detained individual, meaning any further details may come through federal statements, court filings, or additional local police updates.
DHS has not released a timeline of the detention beyond stating the incident occurred Sunday morning, and officials have not provided a detailed explanation of why agents approached the man at his apartment complex.
Sources:
Reuters – “Minneapolis police chief criticizes ICE tactics after chaotic arrest”
