16 people arrested for attacks on federal officers in Minnesota, Pam Bondi announces
16 people were arrested on Wednesday for alleged attacks on federal law enforcement officers.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Sixteen people in Minnesota have been arrested by federal authorities for attacks on law enforcement, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Wednesday.
New arrests made
What we know:
Bondi said 16 people who she described as "rioters" were arrested for alleged assaults on federal law enforcement officers.
Bondi says all 16 are being charged under U.S. code 111 for assaulting, resisting or impeding certain officers or employees.
The people arrested were identified as:
- Christina Rank
- Abdikadir Noor
- Madeline Tschida
- Nitzana Flores
- Helicity Borowska
- Quentin Williams
- William Vermie
- Paul Johnson
- Gillian Etherington
- Joshua Doyle
- Kirubele Adbebe
- Margaret Sager
- Ilan Wilson-Soler
- Nasra Ahmed
- Alice Valentine
- Matrim Charlebois
Dig deeper:
The exact circumstances of the crimes against them aren't yet known, though FOX 9 is familiar with the circumstances of Nasra Ahmed's arrest. Ahmed said at a news conference last week that she was detained by federal agents after an incident in her neighborhood in St. Paul.
Ahmed claimed she was wrongly arrested after she unknowingly found herself caught in the middle of the arrest of two Somali men by ICE. Ahmed claimed she was called a racial slur by agents, assaulted, and held in Sherburne County Jail for two days.
However, the Department of Homeland Security accused Ahmed of assaulting agents but did not share details behind the incident.
Christina Rank was arrested after a vehicle crash involving a federal officer on Jan. 12. The Pioneer Press reports she was held at Whipple for nearly 12 hours before being released.
According to an ABC News report, William Vermie, a military veteran, was arrested while observing an ICE arrest in his neighborhood.
What they're saying:
"We expect more arrests to come," Bondi says. "I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: NOTHING will stop President Trump and this Department of Justice from enforcing the law."
The backstory:
The arrests come on the heels of Bondi bringing charges against three anti-ICE protesters who interrupted Sunday mass at a St. Paul church earlier this month. Attorney Nekima Levy Armstrong, St. Paul School Board Member Chauntyll Louisa Allen, and activist William Kelly were accused of conspiracy to deprive rights.
However, a judge refused to bring charges against other protesters the government sought to charge and Armstrong, Allen, and Kelly were all quickly released from federal custody against the wishes of federal prosecutors.
Cases against all three are still pending.