USA: Viral Video Shows Federal Agents Pinning, Shooting 37-Year-Old Man On Minneapolis Street; 2nd Killing This Month

Federal agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) shot and killed a 37-year-old man during an enforcement operation on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on the morning of January 24. The incident occurred as agents attempted to arrest a man who was filming them, leading to a physical struggle that ended in a burst of gunfire.

Authorities later identified the deceased as an ICU nurse. Initial reports described him as unarmed, though subsequent statements from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claim he was carrying a handgun.

Video Shows Violent Struggle

Footage circulating on social media shows at least five to six federal agents in tactical gear wearing helmets and vests marked with federal identifiers, including 'ICE' grappling with the man beside a dark-coloured vehicle outside a store.

The agents appear to restrain him in a pile-on the individual, pinning him to the ground as limbs and bodies move rapidly during the struggle. In the video, one agent is seen striking the man multiple times approximately three blows with what appears to be the butt or end of a firearm or similar object.

The man is largely obscured beneath the agents and appears to be resisting or being overpowered.

Gunshots and Bystander Reactions

As bystanders gathered nearby many filming and shouting more than 10 rapid gunshots suddenly rang out from the direction of the incident. After the shooting stopped, agents remained positioned over the man, who appeared motionless in the footage.

Audio from the recording captures shock and panic among witnesses, with voices shouting phrases such as “Oh shit,” “They killed my dude,” “Not again,” and “That guy’s dead,” as others called for people to rush to the scene.

Conflicting Official Accounts

In a statement, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said federal officers fired “defensive shots” after a man armed with a handgun approached them and “violently resisted” efforts to disarm him.

Another official, O’Hara, said police believe the man was a lawful gun owner with a valid permit to carry. Authorities maintain that he reached for his weapon during the struggle, prompting officers to open fire.

However, early eyewitness accounts and social media claims described the man as unarmed, fuelling confusion and anger over the use of lethal force.

City on Edge After Recent ICE Killing

The shooting has reignited tensions in Minneapolis, coming just two weeks after another fatal ICE-related incident in the city.

On January 7, 2026, Renee Nicole Good a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, mother of three, poet, and recent transplant from Kansas City was fatally shot by ICE officer Jonathan Ross during heightened immigration enforcement operations under the Trump administration.

Published on: Sunday, January 25, 2026, 08:05 AM IST