A senior FBI official has resigned following an internal disagreement over how a high-profile shooting involving a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis should be investigated, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter.
The resignation came after the supervisor attempted to pursue a civil rights review related to the January 7 shooting death of a Minneapolis resident during an encounter with a federal immigration enforcement officer. The woman, identified by family members as a local mother, was inside her vehicle at the time of the incident.
Sources say the FBI supervisor, who was based in the bureau’s Minneapolis field office, opened a preliminary civil rights inquiry shortly after the shooting and initially coordinated with Minnesota state investigators. However, the inquiry was later halted following direction from FBI leadership in Washington, prompting internal tension within the agency.
According to individuals briefed on the situation, the investigation was reclassified, shifting focus away from a civil rights review and toward an examination of the officer’s claim that he was threatened during the encounter. State authorities were subsequently excluded from further involvement, limiting their ability to conduct an independent review.
The Justice Department has since indicated it does not plan to pursue federal civil rights charges related to the shooting. Instead, attention has turned toward examining the actions and affiliations of those connected to the victim, including whether there were links to organized protest movements in the region.
The handling of the case has reportedly caused unrest within federal legal offices in Minnesota. Several senior prosecutors are said to have resigned in recent weeks, citing concerns about investigative independence and prosecutorial discretion.
Public statements from federal officials have characterized the shooting as a response to an imminent threat, asserting that the officer believed his life was in danger. However, independent video analysis conducted by media organizations has raised questions about that account, with footage reportedly showing no clear evidence of the officer being struck by the vehicle.
The resignation also comes amid broader changes within the FBI, where personnel decisions under current leadership have drawn scrutiny. Law enforcement advocacy groups have expressed concern over disciplinary actions and reassignments involving veteran agents, particularly those tied to internal communications made years earlier.
Separately, the Justice Department has launched inquiries into several Minnesota political leaders, examining whether local officials interfered with federal immigration enforcement. In addition, federal charges were recently filed against several protesters accused of disrupting a religious service during an immigration-related demonstration in St. Paul.
The FBI’s Minneapolis field office declined to comment on the resignation or the status of the investigation.
For deeper context and human impact behind the headline “Five-Year-Old Asylum Seeker Detained After ICE Arrest in Minneapolis, Moved to Texas Facility,” read this blog and understand what’s unfolding.
