Tensions escalate in Minneapolis as ICE reportedly shoots man in the leg and tear gasses a vehicle with children in it

As anti-ICE protests swell, accounts of flash bangs and federal force raise alarms about public safety in Minneapolis.

Since reports surfaced of Renee Nicole Good being fatally shot by ICE agents in Minneapolis, tensions have been bubbling around the country as civilians push back against the growing attempts to give Immigration officers authority in states. 

At the epicenter of these tensions is Minneapolis, where communities have taken to the streets in protest of ICE’s violent presence. During a protest at the very place where Good was shot and killed last week, a man was reportedly shot in the leg by an ICE officer. 

Following the incident, the Department of Homeland Security released a statement claiming that the incident was rooted in a “targeted traffic stop” gone wrong. Officials claim that Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis fled the scene on foot, which led to a pursuit. When officers reportedly tried to arrest him, DHS claims that Sosa-Celis started “violently” assaulting the officer, which led the ICE agent to fire a “defensive shot to defend his life.” 

The City of Minneapolis confirmed that Sosa-Celis was taken to the hospital to treat non-life-threatening injuries on X. 

“Minnesota needs ICE to leave, not an escalation that brings additional federal troops beyond the 3,000 already here,” Mayor Jacob Frey wrote on X. “My priority is keeping local law enforcement focused on public safety, not diverted by federal overreach.” 

As news of this shooting broke, reports of ICE agents deploying flash bangs and tear gas on protesters have also surfaced. On Wednesday night, when a demonstration turned violent, Shawn and Destiny Jackson’s parents, along with six children between the ages of 6 months and 11 years old, found themselves in the middle of the tensions while trying to go home. 

“Officers threw flash bangs and tear gas in my car. I got six kids in the car […] My 6-month-old can’t even breathe. This [his child’s car seat] was flipped over,” Shawn told Fox 9. “My car filled with tear gas, I’m trying to pull my kids from the car.” 

“My kids were innocent, I was innocent, my husband was innocent, this shouldn’t have happened. We were just trying to go home,” Destiny added. 

According to the parents, their 6-month-old child stopped breathing, leading them to perform CPR, while other bystanders tried to alleviate the tear gas’s effect on the other children in the car with milk. 

As a result, Destiny says three of the six children went to the hospital to receive care. As the family was leaving a sporting event for their child, they saw what appeared to be a peaceful demonstration. However, Destiny explained that things quickly escalated when Minneapolis police said the demonstrations turned violent, which prompted the use of tear gas and flash bangs as a de-escalation tactic.