Minneapolis Public Schools close after fatal ICE shooting
Minneapolis Public Schools are closed for the rest of the week “out of an abundance of caution” after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent fatally shot 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good , a city resident, during protests on Jan. 7.
The district announced the closures on Jan. 7, citing “safety concerns related to today’s incidents around the city.”
All district-sponsored programs, activities, athletics and Community Education classes, including adult education, are canceled, a news release states.
The district will not move to e-learning, which is only allowed for severe weather, but will continue to collaborate with the city and other partners on emergency preparedness and response, the news release says.
USA TODAY has contacted the district for additional information.
One person was killed in a shooting involving a federal immigration agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota, officials said. Minneapolis Gov. Tim Walz said on Jan. 7 that the shooting involved U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which has surged agents into the Minneapolis area amid a broader federal crackdown on fraud in the state. Here, a member of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) restrains a protester trying to block vehicles from leaving the scene after a driver of a vehicle was shot.
Reports: Federal agents descend on local high school
In a separate incident, ICE agents reportedly appeared at Roosevelt High School, located in the Standish neighborhood of Minneapolis, on Jan. 7 during dismissal time.
According to Minnesota Public Radio , agents allegedly tear-gassed staff and students, handcuffed two staff members and used chemical weapons on bystanders. The agents had a Border Patrol insignia on their uniforms, the outlet reported.
A school official who requested anonymity told the outlet some students were involved in altercations with officers and many sheltered in a nearby library. The school’s principal, Christian Ledesma, later instituted a lockdown due to the law enforcement presence.
In a statement regarding the incident, the district said: "Minneapolis Public Schools (MPS) is aware of an incident that happened after school yesterday, outside of Roosevelt High School. This incident involved federal law enforcement agents and is currently under investigation."
“We are working with our partners, including the City of Minneapolis and others, to support the individuals directly impacted. Minneapolis Public Schools is committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming learning environment for all of our students,” the statement said.
Fatal ICE shooting
Good’s death occurred during an immigration enforcement action in the city on Jan. 7. Federal authorities descended onto the city on Jan. 6 in response to a federal fraud scandal that they claim is tied to Somali immigrants.
Video circulating online shows multiple law enforcement officers approaching Good's SUV, which was stopped in the middle of a street. One officer attempts to open the driver's side door, as someone is heard saying, "Get out of the (expletive) car." Good briefly reverses before driving forward, beginning to turn right. As the vehicle begins to move forward, another officer standing near the front driver's side draws his gun and fires multiple times.
Who was Renee Nicole Good? What we know about the woman killed by ICE
At the moment the shots were fired, the wheels of Good's vehicle are turned to the right, angled away from the officer in front of the vehicle. It is unclear from the video whether the officer was struck. President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem say he was.
Lawmakers have called for the arrest of the officer involved in the shooting, and the Minneapolis City Council has demanded that ICE leave the city immediately. The Trump administration has asserted that the agent fired in self-defense.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said on X : “The presence of federal immigration enforcement agents is causing chaos in our city. We’re demanding ICE to leave the city immediately. We stand rock solid with our immigrant and refugee communities.”
Hundreds attended a vigil for Good, the mother of a 6-year-old boy, on the evening of Jan. 7.
Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Minneapolis Public Schools close after fatal ICE shooting
