Officer in fatal Minneapolis shooting had previously been dragged by car, Vance says

Vice President JD Vance defended the ICE officer who fatally shot a 37‑year‑old woman in Minneapolis, citing a prior incident where the agent was dragged by a vehicle, as the shooting fuels protests and sharp disputes between federal and local officials over use of force.

Ryan Patrick Jones/Reuters

10 January 2026 at 07:36:30

Vice President Vance defends ICE agent who fatally shot Minneapolis woman, citing past injury in unrelated vehicle incident.

Reuters

The federal immigration officer who fatally shot a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis had previously been dragged by a vehicle and injured, U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Thursday.

Speaking to reporters at the White House, Vance said the officer “nearly had his life ended” after being dragged by a car six months ago, causing an injury requiring more than 30 stitches in his leg.

“So you think maybe he's a little bit sensitive about somebody ramming him with an automobile,” Vance said.

State and federal officials have offered starkly different accounts of the shooting, which took place during President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration. Trump and his allies have defended the shooting as an act of self-defense, while Minnesota officials have denounced it as an act of unrestrained violence.

Department of Homeland Security officials have not responded to questions about the officer's identity.

-Ryan Patrick Jones/Reuters

A federal immigration officer who fatally shot a 37‑year‑old woman in Minneapolis had previously been injured after being dragged by a vehicle, U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said, noting the prior trauma may have influenced his reaction. The shooting during an immigration enforcement operation has drawn sharply contrasting accounts — with federal officials defending it as self‑defense and Minnesota authorities condemning it as excessive force.