A military-grade crowd-control device capable of projecting a powerful, focused sound was brought to the forefront during a tense anti-ICE protest Monday night in a Minneapolis suburb, as state troopers moved to restore order following days of unrest.
Minnesota State Patrol officers confronted demonstrators outside the SpringHill Suites in Maple Grove, where protesters believed federal immigration agents were staying. As the crowd refused orders to disperse, officers warned they would deploy a long-range acoustic device, or LRAD, giving demonstrators a countdown before activating it.
The LRAD is a highly directional loudspeaker originally developed for military use. It can broadcast amplified voice commands over long distances or emit piercing deterrent tones designed to disrupt and disorient crowds.
Medical and defense experts have warned that close-range exposure to the system can cause serious harm, including permanent hearing loss, ruptured eardrums, migraines, nausea, balance issues and panic reactions.
Marine Col. Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, described its effect bluntly.
“We used it in Iraq … if you’re in the cone, it sounds like the voice of God is speaking to you.”
State patrol officials said the device’s volume was checked and dispersal warnings were issued, but no deterrent tones or sirens were activated despite claims circulating online.
Minnesota State Police Deploy Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) Against Rioters-
Those tin whistles weren’t loud enough. Now you can really hear where ICE is located. Until you can’t hear anything… pic.twitter.com/zNmKAEJJE9— David L Wagner (@DavidLWagner4) January 27, 2026
The confrontation ended with 26 arrests. Police said those taken into custody were involved in “unlawful assembly and riotous conduct.”
The demonstration followed Saturday’s fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, 37, who was killed during an altercation with multiple federal officers earlier that morning. The Maple Grove protest unfolded as leadership within federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota remained in flux, with Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and several agents expected to leave the state amid intense scrutiny.
Authorities said it was unclear whether Bovino or any federal agents were staying at the hotel targeted by protesters.
In a statement, the department said: “While we respect First Amendment rights, we will not tolerate property damage or violence in our community.”
Officials declared the gathering unlawful after protesters damaged property and engaged in violent behavior, which law enforcement emphasized is not protected under the First Amendment. Officers warned of LRAD deployment after the crowd failed to comply with repeated dispersal orders.
The LRAD system uses an array of high-frequency speakers to concentrate sound into a narrow beam, allowing commands or warnings to cut through ambient noise with clarity. Even when used only for voice amplification, the system can be overwhelming at close range.
“I think we saw that in the video there of the system, because it’s so loud, I mean, it pushes you back,” Cancian told CBS News.
The technology was designed as a non-lethal alternative to pepper spray, tear gas and rubber bullets.
“In some situations where you might end up using force, kinetic force, or even lethal force, you know this can avoid that and avoid permanent damage to people,” Cancian said.
The LRAD can be mounted on vehicles, tripods or handheld units, with operators able to control range, direction and intensity.
The device has drawn additional attention after speculation that it may be related to the “sonic” weapons President Donald Trump referenced following the recent capture of Venezuelan strongman Nicolás Maduro.
Donald Trump last week said “nobody else” possesses the weapon and praised U.S. military capabilities. Asked whether Americans should be afraid of such technology, Trump responded, “Well, yeah.”
He added, “It’s something I don’t wanna… nobody else has it.”
“But we have weapons nobody else knows about,” Trump continued. “And, I say it’s probably good not to talk about it, but we have some amazing weapons.”
Following Maduro’s arrest, reports surfaced claiming U.S. special forces used an unknown sonic device to incapacitate Venezuelan security personnel. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shared an interview with an unnamed security guard who described a “very intense sound wave” during the operation.
“Suddenly I felt like my head was exploding from the inside,” the guard reportedly said. “We all started bleeding from the nose. Some were vomiting blood. We fell to the ground, unable to move.
“We couldn’t even stand up after that sonic weapon or whatever it was.”
The guard also claimed radar systems shut down moments before helicopters arrived and U.S. forces descended, adding, “They didn’t look like anything we’ve fought against before.”
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