An Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer has shot a man in the leg in the US city of Minneapolis, where tensions have been running high since an ICE agent shot dead a woman last week.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said federal officers were conducting a “targeted traffic stop” when a Venezuelan national was shot after resisting arrest and assaulting an officer.
US officials told CBS News the man was shot after an ICE officer was attacked with a shovel.
Fresh clashes broke out between protesters and law enforcement near the scene and city officials appealed for calm. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said the situation was “unsustainable”.
Tensions over immigration enforcement have been running high in the city since the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent on 7 January.
The man shot was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries and an ICE officer was also taken to hospital to be treated for injuries, the DHS said.
The latest shooting prompted renewed clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement, the city’s police chief Brian O’Hara said, adding his officers were hit by fireworks, ice and snowballs.
Minneapolis city officials said on X: “We understand there is anger. We ask the public to remain calm.”
“The City of Minneapolis again demands that ICE leave the city and state immediately,” they added.
In response to Wednesday’s incident, a DHS statement said the man got out of his car and an altercation took place between him and an ICE official. It added that during the incident two other people emerged from a nearby apartment building and allegedly “attacked” the officer.
“Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired defensive shots,” the DHS statement said, adding “both attackers are in custody”.
The BBC could not immediately independently verify details in the statements. O’Hara said the FBI is investigating the incident.
In response to the latest ICE shooting, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey accused federal officers of “creating chaos” across the state.
Around 3,000 federal officers have been deployed to Minnesota over recent weeks.
