Minneapolis ICE shooting: BCA launching independent investigation

DHS: ICE agent shot person in leg after attack

A person from Venezuela was shot by ICE in north Minneapolis on Wednesday night after federal officials say they attacked an officer following a traffic stop. This comes exactly a week after an ICE officer fatally shot Renee Good. 

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The Minnesota BCA says it’s launching an independent investigation into the latest shooting involving ICE agents in Minneapolis.

BCA investigating ICE-involved shooting

What they're saying:

Just before midnight, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension posted on social media that its Force Investigation Unit is investigating the Wednesday night shooting involving an ICE officer in Minneapolis. 

"This will be an independent BCA investigation," the post read, adding that law enforcement processed the scene with more details expected in the coming days. 

The backstory:

The shooting occurred in the Hawthorne Neighborhood of Minneapolis, near Lyndale and 24th Avenue North. The Department of Homeland Security said ICE agents were conducting a traffic stop around 7 p.m. targeting a Venezuelan man they claim is living in the U.S. illegally. 

DHS reports the man drove off and crashed into a parked car before running off on foot. A federal officer tried to arrest him, but DHS claims the man resisted and reportedly attacked the officer. 

Federal officials say two people then exited a nearby home and attacked the agent with a shovel and broom handle, resulting in the ICE agent opening fire, hitting the man in the leg. The suspect then entered the house and refused to come out before agents entered the home and took him into custody. 

The man was taken to the hospital via ambulance, and is expected to survive. The two other alleged attackers were taken into custody. The ICE agent was also taken to the hospital for treatment. 

BCA blocked from investigating Renee Good shooting

Big picture view:

The latest investigation comes as the BCA was excluded from investigating the deadly ICE shooting of Renee Good. The FBI is the lead agency in that case, which happened exactly one week before the latest shooting incident.

The BCA said they are not being given access to evidence in Good's case, and it’s one of the issues cited in a lawsuit filed by the State of Minnesota and Twin Cities trying to block the ICE crackdown in the state. 

The first hearing in the case was heard on Wednesday and the judge denied a temporary restraining order against ICE, but the judge fast tracked the case, giving the Justice Department until Monday to issue a response. 

In the meantime, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and Minnesota Attorney General’s Office have launched a joint effort to gather and preserve evidence in the investigation of Good’s killing. The goal, officials say, is to ensure as much information as possible is collected to build a comprehensive case file and ensure transparency for Minnesotans. Residents are encouraged to submit evidence through an online portal.