How Minnesota Leaders Condemn Federal Agents Following Minneapolis Shooting Outbreak

By Solange Reyner | Saturday, 24 January 2026 02:59 PM EST

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on Saturday called for President Donald Trump to remove federal agents deployed in the state after a controversial shooting incident that has escalated tensions statewide.

During a press conference, Walz condemned the agents for “sowing chaos and violence,” stating Minnesotans had witnessed “deadly violence from federal agents again and again.” Federal immigration officers fatally shot a man in Minneapolis on Saturday, prompting hundreds of protesters in a city already reeling from another fatal shooting weeks earlier.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed the victim was 37 years old, noting limited information was available regarding the incident’s circumstances.

Walz highlighted Minnesotans’ peaceful conduct: “In contrast to that on these frozen streets what you witnessed yesterday was the best of Minnesota—peacefully exercising their first amendment rights.” He urged protesters to maintain calm and emphasized residents’ efforts to support one another, including walking children to school and feeding families.

“The horrific acts by this federal government have not deterred Minnesotans,” Walz stated. “We will keep the peace, secure justice for those responsible, and see this occupation end.”

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, said officers were conducting an immigration crackdown operation and fired “defensive shots” after a man with a handgun approached them and “violently resisted” disarming attempts. Police believe the victim was a “lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.”

Walz declared: “Minnesotans are the adults in the room, the professionals in the room, the decent human beings in the room that will keep the peace.”