Federal Agent Shoots Man in Leg After Shovel Attack as Minneapolis Officials Urge Calm

A federal law enforcement officer shot a man in the leg in Minneapolis after being attacked with a shovel during an attempted arrest, US authorities have said, in the latest flashpoint amid heightened tensions over immigration enforcement in the city.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the incident followed a car chase involving a Venezuelan national who was in the United States illegally. According to the agency, the pursuit ended in a crash in the Hawthorne area of Minneapolis, after which the driver fled on foot.

DHS officials said the officer caught up with the suspect, but was then confronted by two additional individuals who joined the scene. The three are alleged to have attacked the officer, with one using a shovel. In response, the officer discharged his weapon, striking one of the men in the leg. Authorities said the injury was not life-threatening.

The incident comes against a backdrop of heightened anxiety in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of a woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent last week. That earlier shooting sparked protests in the city, which later spread to other parts of the United States, placing federal immigration operations under intense public scrutiny.

Following Wednesday’s shooting, fresh clashes broke out between protesters and law enforcement near the scene. Local media, including the Minnesota Star Tribune, reported that several vehicles believed to belong to the federal government were damaged during the unrest.

City officials appealed for calm, urging residents to avoid further escalation and emphasising the importance of peaceful protest. They also stressed the need for clear communication between law enforcement agencies and the community as investigations into recent incidents continue.

The political response has been swift. In a social media post on Thursday morning, US President Donald Trump warned that he could invoke the Insurrection Act if Minnesota officials failed to act to “stop the professional agitators”, signalling a tougher federal stance should unrest continue.