A U.S. Border Patrol member shot an armed individual on Saturday, January 24, 2026, at East 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, according to preliminary statements from federal and local authorities. The Department of Homeland Security said the person was armed with a handgun and two magazines.
The individual later died, according to hospital records reported by national outlets. Minneapolis officials urged residents to avoid the area while investigators processed the scene and collected evidence.
City leaders said they would brief the public. Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Brian O’Hara were expected to speak Saturday, with city channels providing updates as details are confirmed. The Minneapolis Police Department asked the public to remain calm and to follow official guidance, citing the need to secure the intersection during evidence collection.
What officials say so far
In an initial statement, DHS said agents encountered an armed suspect and that evidence recovered at the scene included a firearm and loaded magazines. Authorities did not immediately release body-camera footage or surveillance video. Federal officials said more information would be made public as interviews and forensic work proceed. The name of the person who was shot has not been released.
Local prosecutors moved quickly to assert a role in the inquiry. Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the scene must be secured by local law enforcement to preserve evidence and that her office expects federal authorities to allow the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to process the location.
Prosecutors asked residents to submit any photos or videos that might aid investigators, including clips captured before and after the gunfire.
The Minneapolis Police Department said it was working to confirm additional details and asked people to avoid the immediate area. Officials noted that federal personnel were present on scene as part of a broader immigration enforcement surge that has drawn large crowds and frequent confrontations with demonstrators in recent weeks.
Political leaders react
Gov. Tim Walz condemned the shooting and demanded that the administration withdraw federal agents from Minnesota. In a statement on social media, he called the incident “sickening” and pressed the White House to “pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers” out of the state.
Sen. Tina Smith called the shooting “catastrophic” and urged immigration authorities to leave so local police could secure the scene. Sen. Amy Klobuchar also urged federal immigration units to depart, addressing her message to the administration and congressional Republicans.
City officials have been sharply critical of federal tactics since early January, arguing that the large deployment of immigration officers has strained community relations and complicated routine policing. Tensions have been especially pronounced at flashpoint intersections where federal and local units have operated side by side, with residents recording confrontations on their phones and sharing clips online.
Evidence handling and jurisdiction
The push to involve the BCA reflects ongoing friction over who controls evidence after federal shootings in Minnesota. Local leaders have argued that state investigators are better positioned to conduct transparent inquiries that can be reviewed in county court.
Federal officials counter that certain operations and records are sensitive while cases remain active. The balance between those concerns is likely to shape how quickly video and documents are released.
Prosecutors said they want complete access to physical evidence, ballistic analysis, and witness interviews. They also emphasized the importance of early community submissions, which can help establish timelines, vantage points and the sequence of events. Authorities cautioned against drawing firm conclusions from partial clips circulating online, noting that critical moments may be missing or out of sequence.
