ICE officer shoots man in leg in north Minneapolis after shovel attack, officials say

A shooting occurred Wednesday night in north Minneapolis after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers were attacked by men with shovels during an arrest operation amid Operation Metro Surge, three U.S. officials told CBS News. 

One of the men, a Venezuelan migrant, was shot in the leg but is expected to be OK, two of the officials told CBS News. 

According to law enforcement officials briefed on the incident, the shooting occurred around 7 p.m. during a targeted ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations action near North Sixth Street and North 24th Avenue.

Officials say one man armed with a shovel — described as an “illegal alien” from Venezuela and the primary target of the operation — assaulted an ICE officer, striking the officer with the shovel and attempting to hit the agent’s head. An ICE ERO agent then opened fire, striking the man in the leg.

After being shot, the man fled into a residence. Law enforcement officials say they later determined the house contained three additional targets. All four individuals barricaded themselves inside the home.

Due to the barricade situation, additional agents were called to the scene, officials said. Officers breached the house with the assistance of an ICE specialized tactical team. Officials believe all individuals inside the home were taken into custody.

Both the ICE officer who was struck and the man who was shot were transported to the hospital. The man who was shot is expected to be OK. The officer’s condition and the nature of their injuries have yet to be confirmed.

Homeland Security officials said in a statement the Venezuelan national initially fled law enforcement in a vehicle but soon crashed into a parked car before fleeing on foot.

DHS issued a statement Wednesday evening saying the officer was assaulted by the man as he resisted arrest, and while they were on the ground struggling, “two subjects came out of a nearby apartment and also attacked the law enforcement officer with a snow shovel and broom handle.”

“Fearing for his life and safety as he was being ambushed by three individuals, the officer fired defensive shots to defend his life,” DHS officials said.

A large crowd has formed at the scene, with fireworks reportedly heard nearby. 

The shooting comes exactly one week after ICE officer Jonathan Ross fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Good in south Minneapolis.

This is a developing story and it will be updated.