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

US Vice President JD Vance speaks during a press briefing in the Brady Briefing Room at the White House in Washington, DC on Jan. 8, 2026. (AFP)
Short Url
Updated 08 January 2026
Follow

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

  • Vance said the officer “nearly had his ⁠life ended” after being dragged by a car six months ago
  • Trump ⁠and his allies have defended the shooting as an act of self-defense

WASHINGTON: The federal immigration officer who fatally shot a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis had previously been dragged by a vehicle and injured, US 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.