Federal agents shot and killed a man in Minneapolis on Saturday, the second fatal incident this month involving federal forces during increased immigration enforcement operations in the northern US city.
The US Department of Homeland Security stated that Border Patrol agents opened fire in self-defense against a man who approached them with a firearm and two magazines.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said the victim was a 37-year-old city resident and believed to be a U.S. citizen. He did not release his name, adding that the man was the legal owner of the gun and had no criminal record.
Video circulating on social media and broadcast by television stations shows people wearing masks and tactical vests grappling with the man on a snow-covered street before shots are fired. In other footage, immigration agents are seen using tear gas to disperse a growing crowd of bystanders.
Call to halt federal operations
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for an immediate halt to the Trump administration's immigration operations in the state.
"How many more residents, how many more Americans have to die or be seriously injured for this operation to stop?" he said during a press conference.
The state's governor and two U.S. senators also called on federal agents to leave the area. According to Reuters, Trump has been briefed on the incident.
O'Hara described the situation at the scene as "very volatile" and urged citizens to avoid the area. "Please don't destroy our city," he said.
The Minneapolis Institute of Art announced that it closed its activities for the day for safety reasons.
The incident comes a day after more than 10,000 people took to the streets to protest the presence of about 3,000 federal agents sent to the state on Trump's orders. Residents have been angered by a series of recent incidents, including the killing of American citizen Renee Good, the detention of a US citizen taken from his home and the detention of school children, including a 5-year-old boy.
