Latest news with #HennepinCountySheriff
Fox News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Fox News
False rumors of Minneapolis ICE raid spark protest as police decry 'irresponsible' info from elected officials
A chaotic protest in Minneapolis during which federal agents were seen getting physical with demonstrators unfolded as elected officials posted "highly irresponsible" information online suggesting a criminal search warrant was an ICE operation, police say. Tense moments were captured on video Tuesday as federal agents and the public clashed in the streets of the major city, with Minnesota State Sen. Omar Fateh claiming on Facebook, "On scene are DHS, ICE, FBI, Sheriffs, and MPD" in what he described as "blatant fascism on display." In a follow-up post, Fateh said, "While the Mayor has told us ICE is not welcome in our city, what residents saw was their deployment assisted by his MPD." However, the federal operation focusing on a Mexican restaurant actually "was related to a criminal search warrant for drugs and money laundering and was not related to immigration enforcement" and "No arrests were made," according to Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey. "The information that came out on social media from elected officials was highly irresponsible," Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt said Wednesday. "There were ways for them to have accurate information and instead of getting accurate information, being impulsive and putting out things that could potentially incite riots is senseless." "Yesterday's incident was a criminal investigation," she added. "So putting out the rhetoric that that was a raid, it was not a raid. Putting out the rhetoric that it was an immigration enforcement, the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office does not participate in immigration enforcement. Elected officials have a responsibility to the constituents to put out accurate information. They don't have to agree with it, but do not mislead the public, causing more harm to our communities." Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara added, "Ultimately, you can say what you want and point fingers and blame people for different things, how it happened, whether they should or shouldn't have or whatever, but the bottom line is if a tragedy happened at Lake and Bloom yesterday, it doesn't matter who is at fault. The community loses. The feds lose. We all lose, and we are left behind. "The feds can leave, we are left behind to deal with the consequences," O'Hara continued. "And what I saw yesterday as they were trying to leave, aside from just the verbal things that were being said, but with things being thrown at them — in some cases heavily-armed federal agents getting into hand-to-hand situations with people who are protesting — is not good." Video clips showed protesters screaming at the federal agents. In one scene, a masked man wearing an ATF Police uniform tossed a demonstrator to the ground after he tried to get in front of a van that was leaving the area. "Trump has created an environment of understandable fear, created an atmosphere where distrust isn't just a norm. In fact, sometimes it's appropriate," Frey told reporters Thursday while speaking alongside Witt and O'Hara. In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, Jamie Holt, the ICE Homeland Security Investigations special agent in charge for St. Paul, said, "Federal investigators conducted a groundbreaking criminal operation today — Minnesota's first under the Homeland Security Task Force (HSTF) umbrella — marking a new chapter in how we confront complex, multidimensional threats. "From drug smuggling to criminal labor trafficking, this operation showcases the breadth of our collective missions and the strength of a united front," the statement added, noting that "This HSI led investigation wouldn't have been possible without the extraordinary collaboration of our state partners and federal HSTF partners." Witt told reporters on Wednesday, "It is not okay for people to obstruct law enforcement when we are trying to obtain evidence." "It's not okay to try to prevent them from leaving. It is not okay," she added. "It did not look good — I get that — and we will deal with some of the things that happened that even I don't agree with, which is why I have an appointment already set up with some of our federal leaders. That could have been done better."
CBS News
6 days ago
- Health
- CBS News
Fallout continues after federal raid; officials say drugs is a growing concern in area
Continued fallout from federal raid on Lake Street; officials say drugs are a problem in the area Continued fallout from federal raid on Lake Street; officials say drugs are a problem in the area Continued fallout from federal raid on Lake Street; officials say drugs are a problem in the area Fallout continues after a chaotic clash between protesters and law enforcement serving a drug trafficking warrant on Lake Street in Minneapolis Tuesday. While residents and local leaders denounced the tactics, they do say drugs are a growing problem in Minneapolis. Healthcare officials are sounding the alarm too. The chaotic clash is gone but questions remain — about the optics in which federal agents went about the raid at a Mexican restaurant on Lake Street. Many believing the raid was tied to immigration enforcement, but the Department of Homeland Security calls it a "groundbreaking criminal operation." Local leaders say the search warrant was connected to "drugs and money laundering." "I don't know one person who's ok with drug smuggling in our communities," said Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt. In fact — Sheriff Witt says Tuesday's operation needed to be done pointing to an uptick in overdoses. "Look at the stats, Od's are going back up already, we have to do this work," Witt said. According to Hennepin Healthcare, the number of non-fatal overdoses is up about 45% compared to last year. Dr. Tim Kummer, the Assistant Medical Director of Hennepin EMS calls the uptick troubling. "When you have an increase in non-fatal overdoses, you'll inevitable have an increase in fatal overdoses," Kummer said. Healthcare leaders say they are working on a plan to get ahead of this spike in non-fatal overdoses before they become fatal. Back on E. Lake Street, those living in the area say they see the drug use in real time. "We are all the time threaten by violence by drug dealers in their corners," said business owner Rodrigo Cardoso.
CBS News
03-06-2025
- General
- CBS News
Crowd gathers on Minneapolis' Lake Street amid federal "criminal investigation"; sheriff says it's not immigration related
Twin Cities law enforcement officials say they played no part in "any immigration enforcement" on Tuesday in south Minneapolis amid a business raid they say is tied to "a criminal investigation." A crowd of protestors are gathered outside Las Cuatro Milpas restaurant off Bloomington Avenue and East Lake Street, appearing to believe the situation is an immigration round-up. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey released this statement on Tuesday afternoon about the situation: "I'm aware of the operation federal agencies carried out today near Lake and Bloomington. While we're still gathering details, this incident was related to a criminal search warrant for drugs & money laundering and was not related to immigration enforcement. No arrests were made." A WCCO crew at the scene spoke with a witness who provided video of demonstrators screaming at law enforcement members, with some hurling objects onto Lake Street to stop a military-style vehicle. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara is also seen in the footage speaking with an agitated man on a sidewalk. The Hennepin County Sheriff's Office says it's assisting "federal agencies" in the investigation, including a warrant execution late Tuesday morning at a business off Bloomington Avenue and East Lake Street. The sheriff's office says its partnership includes "execution of multiple search warrants at multiple locations in the metro area," in addition to Tuesday's situation. "This incident was not related to any immigration enforcement. HCSO has no involvement in civil immigration. HCSO enforces criminal statutes and works on criminal investigations. We work with federal partners regularly on those criminal investigations," the sheriff's office said in a statement. @ The Minneapolis Police Department says its officers came to the scene of Tuesday's warrant execution after a crowd began to gather, adding they are ensuring "the crowd and the surrounding area" remain safe. Police say they didn't have "advance notice" of the federal operation, and "any claims to the contrary are false." They also echoed the sheriff's office's statement that it isn't related to immigration enforcement. The organization COPAL (Comunidades Organizando el Poder y la Acción Latina) released a statement on Tuesday afternoon saying its members came to the scene "to ensure that constitutional rights and legal due process are respected." "In situations like the enforcement today, it's important that there are signed warrants in place, the right to peaceful assembly is protected, and that no Minnesotan, no human being is treated as 'collateral,'" said COPAL's Ryan Perez. This story will be updated.
