The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced Thursday night that the individual who was shot by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agent in Minneapolis is a Venezuelan national with links to the ultra-violent Tren de Aragua street gang.
Initial reports indicated that around 2 p.m. local time, federal agents were involved in a shooting following an attempted traffic stop. Emergency call logs indicate that the driver of a red Tacoma attempted to run over an agent, prompting at least one of them to open fire in self-defense.
The Portland Police Bureau confirmed that two individuals — identified only as a Spanish-speaking male and his wife — were shot. They managed to drive themselves to either a relative’s house or a local medical center and are still alive as of this report, according to local outlet KATU.
Before any facts were established, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson portrayed the incident as an example of federal overreach. “We cannot sit by while constitutional protections erode and bloodshed mounts. Portland is not a ‘training ground’ for militarized agents, and the ‘full force’ threatened by the administration has deadly consequences,” the mayor ranted, concluding his statement with a call for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to leave the city.
Shortly before 5 p.m. local time, DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin established the facts of the case in a social media post.
“At 2:19 PST, US Border Patrol agents were conducting a targeted vehicle stop in Portland, Oregon. The passenger of the vehicle and target is a Venezuelan illegal alien affiliated with the transnational Tren de Aragua prostitution ring,” McLaughlin posted on X. She added that the individual was wanted for questioning in connection with a recent shooting in the Portland area.
She further confirmed that the suspect is believed to be a member of the ultra-violent Tren de Aragua street gang, which was designated as a terrorist organization by President Donald Trump last year.
“When agents identified themselves to the vehicle occupants, the driver weaponized his vehicle and attempted to run over the law enforcement agents,” McLaughlin continued. “Fearing for his life and safety, an agent fired defensive shots. The driver drove off with the passenger, fleeing the scene. ”
McLaughlin concluded the post by noting that the investigation is ongoing, adding that additional information will be forthcoming.
Here are the facts:
At 2:19 PST, US Border Patrol agents were conducting a targeted vehicle stop in Portland, Oregon. The passenger of the vehicle and target is a Venezuelan illegal alien affiliated with the transnational Tren de Aragua prostitution ring and involved in a… https://t.co/Tr0qUQCtkm
— Tricia McLaughlin (@TriciaOhio) January 9, 2026
The shooting comes just one day after a 37-year-old woman was shot and killed while she was attempting to obstruct federal immigration agents during operations in South Minneapolis. Multiple angles of the incident shows agents approaching the vehicle, at which point the driver, identified as Renee Nicole Good, accelerated forward.
An agent standing in front of the vehicle then opened fire in self-defense after being struck by the car, killing her.
Prominent Democrats and left-wing pundits have painted a radically different picture of the incident, resulting in protests across Minneapolis. Smaller protests were observed in additional cities, including in Portland.
The Post Millennial editor Andy Ngo — who has long focused on far-left extremism in Portland and elsewhere — reported that extremist groups were mobilizing following the shooting. Both left-wing groups and Portland city officials have made no mention of the facts of the case, instead portraying it as an unjustified shooting.
U.S. Rep. Maxine Dexter (D-OR) released a statement condemning the agents and called on federal immigration agents to leave Portland. “ICE has done nothing but inject terror, chaos, and cruelty into our communities. Trump’s immigration machine is using violence to control our communities — straight out of the authoritarian playbook,” the congresswoman said in response to the shooting of a wanted gang member.
— Congresswoman Maxine Dexter (@RepDexterOR) January 9, 2026
