As RedState has been covering, there was a fatal shooting incident in Minneapolis on Saturday morning involving Border Patrol agents and a male protester. Federal law enforcement held a brief press conference early Saturday afternoon to affirm the information known about the shooting thus far.
Border Patrol Commander at Large Gregory Bovino spoke to assembled press, issuing a statement that tracks closely with the statement shared by DHS via its X account.
BORDER PATROL COMMANDER GREG BOVINO: “During this operation, an individual approached U.S Border Patrol agents with a nine millimeter semi-automatic handgun. The agents attempted to disarm the individual, but he violently resisted. Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of… pic.twitter.com/H8dhxkYWUx
— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 24, 2026
[We are] here today to show support for all federal law enforcement, who have been under constant [inaudible] in Minneapolis for weeks now. This morning was no different.
At 9:05 AM Central Standard Time, as DHS law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted operation in Minneapolis against an illegal alien, Jose Huerta-Chuma — you can see this illegal alien on the screen to my left and right — that is Jose Huerta-Chuma, whose criminal history includes domestic assault, to intentionally inflict bodily harm, disorderly conduct, and driving without a valid license.
During this operation, an individual approached U.S. Border Patrol agents with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun. The agents attempted to disarm the individual, but he violently resisted. Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, a Border Patrol agent fired defensive shots.
Medics on the scene immediately delivered medical aid to the subject, but the subject was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect also had two loaded magazines and no assessible ID. This looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.
Then, about 200 rioters arrived at the scene and began to obstruct and assault law enforcement. Crowd control measures have been deployed for the safety of the public and law enforcement. This situation is evolving, and more information is forthcoming.
The officer was highly trained and had been serving as a Border Patrol agent for eight years. The officer has extensive training as a range safety officer and less lethal officer.
As mentioned, this is only the latest attack on law enforcement. Across the country, the men and women of DHS have been attacked, shot at, doxed, had their family members threatened, and, as we have seen, more than 100 vehicle rammings over the past year against federal law enforcement.
We will not allow violence against our law enforcement officers, and we need state and local help — state and local law enforcement to help us coordinate to get violent criminals off the streets. Mayor Frey and Chief O’Hara, just a few minutes ago, did the opposite of that by omitting the fact that the suspect had a gun and magazines full of ammunition.
In what looks like a situation, again, where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.
I want to reiterate what President Donald Trump, Secretary Kristi Noem, myself, Director Marcos Charles, and so many others have said time and again: If you obstruct a law enforcement officer or assault a law enforcement officer, you are in violation of the law and will be arrested.
Our law enforcement officers take an oath to protect the public. We go to work every day to protect our friends, our neighbors, and our fellow citizens. The fact of the matter is that the law does not enforce itself. It takes men and women who are willing to risk their lives to enforce it. The men and women of CBP and ICE law enforcement are highly trained professionals who love this country and do this work because they want to leave their kids and their grandkids a country that’s safe and secure.
RELATED: REPORT: 'Border Patrol Involved' Shooting in Minneapolis Leaves 1 Dead
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Of note, the individual who was the subject of the targeted operation has been identified as José Huerta-Chuma, whose criminal history includes domestic assault, to intentionally inflict bodily harm, disorderly conduct, and driving without a valid license.
The agent who shot the protester has been with Border Patrol for eight years and "has extensive training as a range safety officer and less lethal officer."
Following his remarks, Bovino took a couple of questions.
The first: "When did agents learn that he had a gun, and did he ever brandish that weapon at agents?"
Bovino's response was:
"Ali, this situation, again, is evolving. This situation is under investigation, as facts will come to light. This particular incident is being investigated just like we investigate other similar incidents, like we've done over the past several years. It's in the hands of professionals, as facts will come to light."
Second question:
"Did he have an additional gun? Or was the gun moved from the scene? And I watched the video from start to finish...and it doesn't seem like he pulled a gun at any point, so did the account come from the agent — did they say that he pulled a gun before, during, after — when does the gun come out?"
In response, Bovino said:
"Again, this situation's evolving. This is under investigation. Those facts will come to light, but let's take a look at the gun (pointing), and you can see the gun here on the screen there that that individual possessed. It appears to be a semi-automatic, high-capacity type, possibly a Sig Sauer 9mm."
RedState will continue to follow the story and provide updates as warranted.
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