NEW DELHI: The ministry of external affairs (MEA) on Thursday said it is “closely monitoring” developments following a shooting in Minneapolis involving an US immigration and customs enforcement (ICE) agent, expressing concern in view of the large Indian community in the United States.“We are closely monitoring the developments in and around Minneapolis shooting. We are concerned as we have a large Indian community in the US, including a large number of students. We also have a large number of professionals and many other people so it is a matter of concern,” MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said.The remarks came after a woman was fatally shot in Minneapolis on Wednesday during what the US administration described as a major immigration enforcement operation. Confirming the incident, the department of homeland security (DHS) said ICE officers were conducting targeted operations when they were confronted by rioters.“ICE officers in Minneapolis were conducting targeted operations when rioters began blocking ICE officers and one of these violent rioters weaponized her vehicle, attempting to run over our law enforcement officers in an attempt to kill them – an act of domestic terrorism,” DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement.According to DHS, an ICE officer fired “defensive shots” fearing for his life and that of fellow officers and the public. “He used his training and saved his own life and that of his fellow officers. The alleged perpetrator was hit and is deceased. The ICE officers who were hurt are expected to make full recoveries,” the statement added.The US administration said it had deployed hundreds of agents in Minneapolis on Wednesday as part of what it termed its biggest crackdown in the city, following a welfare scam involving Somalis in Minnesota that had recently drawn attention.Reacting to the incident, Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey acknowledged the shooting and called for federal immigration authorities to leave the city. “The presence of federal immigration enforcement agents is causing chaos in our city,” Frey said in a social media statement. “We’re demanding ICE to leave the city immediately. We stand rock solid with our immigrant and refugee communities.”Minnesota governor Tim Walz had said his office was working to “gather information on an ICE-related shooting.”
