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CNN's The Arena with Kasie Hunt
Feds & Minnesota Officials Clash Over Deadly ICE Shooting. Aired 4-5p ET
Aired January 08, 2026 - 16:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[16:00:03]
ANNOUNCER: This is CNN breaking news.
KASIE HUNT, CNN HOST: Hi, everyone. I'm Kasie Hunt. Welcome to THE ARENA. It's good to have you with us on this Thursday.
Right now in Minneapolis, rising tensions, scuffles between federal officers and protesters. One day after an ICE agent killed an American citizen. The anger seeming to only grow today as the Trump administration insists there's one version of this story.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
J.D. VANCE, VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: This was an attack on federal law enforcement. This was an attack on law and order. This was an attack on the American people.
KRISTI NOEM, HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY: This vehicle was used to hit this officer. It was used as a weapon.
VANCE: She was trying to ram this guy with his -- with her car. He shot back. He defended himself.
NOEM: This was an act of domestic terrorism.
VANCE: The simple fact is, what you see is what you get in this case.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
FOSTER: What you see is what you get.
All right. So, let's see it. We're going to show you the video. We're going to walk through multiple angles of this fatal shooting. Now some of this is in slow motion.
So, you can decide for yourself. And of course, you can decide for yourself now if you want to watch this because the footage is very disturbing, lets walk through it together.
You can see here officers approach Renee Good's vehicle one attempts to open her door, and at this point, another officer has already moved. You see him there in front of the vehicle. That officer draws his weapon and fires as the vehicle begins to move. All right. Let's take a look at this other angle. The officer standing
in front of the vehicle, gun drawn. Good drives forward. You can't hear them, but the shots ring out. Here's the third angle.
This is from across the street. You see an officer walk away from a light-colored SUV. It's on the left and he positions himself in front of Good's vehicle as it backs up. And then, you have that fatal moment and the crash.
So, this morning, the state of Minnesota announced the federal government is blocking them from being part of the investigation into the shooting. They say the FBI is denying them access to case files, evidence, witness interviews. The governor, Tim Walz, today warned that that decision could undermine faith in whatever the investigation does reveal
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GOV. TIM WALZ (D), MINNESOTA: It feels very, very difficult that we will get a fair outcome. And I say that only because people in positions of power have already passed judgment from the president to the vice president to Kristi Noem, have stood and told you things that are verifiably false. Very, very difficult for Minnesotans to think in any way. This is going to be fair. When Kristi Noem was judge, jury and executioner yesterday.
That's very, very difficult to think that they were going to be fair.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
HUNT: All right. Let's get off the sidelines, head into THE ARENA.
My panel will be here, but we want to start with our reporters on the scene.
CNN's Laura Coates is live covering the demonstrations in Minneapolis. We also have CNN's senior White House correspondent, Kristen Holmes.
But let's start in Minneapolis.
Laura, you're outside the federal building there. What have you been seeing today?
LAURA COATES, CNN CHIEF LEGAL ANALYST: I'll tell you what's going on right now. You're hearing whistles. You're seeing a caravan of cars coming in. There are Border Patrol agents inside. It has agitated this crowd. They are already very angry.
You are hearing people continuously with signs, et cetera. They are angry. They have milk with them. They have on gas. They've been tear gassed multiple times.
They have different megaphones out right now. You see, there's a whole heap of agents who are over -- over behind this very small barricade over here. There was one who was actually speaking to somebody off camera, an ICE agent inside of a car, where they were asking the person, why are you doing this?
Do you really think that people should be deported in the way that you're doing so? The agent not wanting to be on camera, not wanting to lower his mask, expressed his concern and saying that, look, it's the law. It was almost as if he was trying to suggest that what do you want me to do? I have to follow the law.
But look at the crowd here that's out right now. People are angry. They want the evidence. They're distrustful of an investigation not being independent. You have different people who are out right now who are actually speaking directly to and yelling at the ICE agents, challenging their manhood, their patriotism and the like. They are reacting to what took place yesterday, as well as these two narratives that are happening right now.
And here we go. Weve got people who are yelling right now as if agents otherwise are coming out of their cars, and people who are going inside, and they are also acting. This is Laura Ingraham who's actually here. They're reacting right now to Fox News' Laura Ingraham going into a car. Her presence also agitating. They're blocking her path right here with cameras in her face as they're going by.
Everyone wondering what the -- what the narratives will be, what the impact has been.
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This man carrying milk right now in his hand, obviously, milk to try to counteract the effects of tear gas that has already been thrown out, and pepper spray as well. You can see on the ground different remnants of balls containing that very thing.
The tension here is palpable. People are upset. They are compelled to come down here. They do not trust that there will be an independent investigation.
And you can see everyone who's coming, even shifts, changes that are happening right now. If a car passes by and does not honk they are assumed to be problematic. They're looking at agents who have their masks still on their bodies. You see them and they are challenged right now. They have middle fingers up to them, whistles going, and they're trying to go through the air.
Let me -- let me get out of the path. You have the path that we're coming in. Here we go. They're putting signs on their cars right now. Here we go. Get out of the way.
Oh, they're. They're coming. We've got -- we've got -- we've got them coming out right now. The ICE agents coming down, guns drawn right now. Some sort of agents trying to counteract right now, trying to get their colleagues into it right now as they're spraying something into the air right now. People are concerned.
I'm going in closer right now. Excuse me. Sorry, ma'am. Here we go.
You're seeing a shift change right now, Kasie, happening as they are coming closer and closer -- in the air right now. That's making you cough a little bit. They're coming right closer.
Since I have been here, they have not gotten this close. You can see them. They're all masked. They are angry. They asked me for milk right now. They're coming in closer. And they're moving back.
There's something in the air right now that they have going on right now. And you see behind me what's going on? I'm going to say the same distance right now. But, Kasie, it is coming right now. Very tension. A lot of tension.
We've got people around right now about 40 or so ICE agents that are out here in the area. There is something that is in the air causing you to cough a little bit. They are retreating right now as the crowd is coming closer and closer. They are retreating back in one single line, holding the line as they're walking right now. You have people who are close and they're continuing to yell.
People are covering their mouths. There's something happening right now.
Kasie, it's intense. It is intense. Thank you, ma'am. It's so intense right now. It's happening. They're backing up now, back behind the distance as the crowds are there.
You have an elevated presence right now. But remember, we've seen people come up there shooting some kind of pellets. The gas has come down right now. We're going to back up a little bit more. It's in the air, Kasie, we're going to get to a safe location, okay?
HUNT: We're -- we're sticking with you as long as you're feeling safe and you just let us know if you need to move to a safe location right now, we will absolutely roll with that. Okay? Keep reading us in.
COATES: It's hard to breathe. Something is out. Somethings on the ground right now. She's taking to her knees, saying coward ICE. They put something in the ground right now. Some sort of a pellet of some type. They're facing the crowd. They're now in a constant line happening right now.
The constant line going right now, about 40 or so people right now, they're also filming the crowd. They are filming the crowd.
There's been a tear gas. People are coughing. It is in the air. What it feels like. It feels a little like you're choking in your chest, and it feels like you're trying to catch your breath.
It inflames your nostrils. It's a burning sensation in your chest. It's a burning sensation in your nostrils as well. I'm not going to go further right now, but it does makes you cough.
People right now are changing shifts, it appears, and behind them, but they are continuing to be there right now. Some people actually have masks on that have the American flag. People are agitated. They are angry. And now they have been tear gassed yet again in the course of this. People comparing it to chanting happening right now. There are
different people happening. This person is challenging, as you can see, almost looking and imploring them to speak to them as well. You still feel the remnants of what is this gas that has been deployed in the air right now.
People are making sure no one goes past what seems to be an invisible line right now on the ground. Earlier today, one of the first gassing incidents that happened was people were pushing on that little parking arm that you see right there and that almost taunting the agents as well.
And now, they're actually going in and out of cars. People are coming behind. And you see in the distance different agents coming from different vehicles as well. Remember, we watched people try to come into the area in a caravan and their cars are instantly identified and they are instantly criticized and yelled at and berated by the crowd, who is obviously angry.
Somebody has on a gas mask of sorts as well, and somebody is walking around asking who might need milk for their eyes to clear them as well. They are, you know, they've been standing here for quite some time.
There's somebody in the front that you can zoom into the camera, the camera in the front who's actually holding the device. That seems to be deploying this gas, and what's not there in the very front of it. Others have their hands in their pockets. They all seem to have some sort of armor on their bodies as we hear "Shame, shame, shame" being constantly repaired here with a crowd of people that so many people who are in this crowd right now who are angry, who said they're coming.
Look right here. Yeah. People on their -- on their backpacks are bringing gas masks with them in the area. You have people who are having over there as well different masks and ready to go.
Independent journalists who are here, people in the community who have told me this is their job now to actually document what's happening right now. People are enraged with this. And of course, you've got almost a shift that is changing as each and every one of these agents stands firm right here with different devices on them.
One person challenged what was going on. I want you to listen in for a second, Kasie, as the crowd continues to circle around and address these ICE agents who have not moved since they initially held that line and backed up, backed up behind a safe distance from the crowd. They're turning to each other now. At this point in time, they seem to have had the tension relaxed for a second in this moment.
This is how it's been, Kasie. Waves of this anger, waves of frustration. And then there's eerie calm, and then you've got waves again happening. But every time you hear these whistles and these honked horns, it is the community's way of saying, ICE is here.
The constant drumbeat. They do not want them here. When I go back to an agent who is speaking off camera, who is expressing his frustration about feeling almost helpless, not being able to do anything but follow the law and the orders that he has received. The community trying to engage with them, trying to get them to take their masks down as well. You can see people with whistles hanging on their on their necks, as well as there's a constant presence of milk, people carrying milk in case they have their eyes somehow sprayed as well. Here is what they're saying continuously.
Meanwhile, ICE remains where they are. They're also not looking over to the side. I want to turn it over because geographically, we're next to a train route here. It's an above line sort of subway that's happening here train in Minnesota, and the officers seem to be addressing what's happening over in that area as well, because its another way for people to come closer to their presence and come closer to where they are as well.
And there's a line of cars that has to stop every time the railroad arm comes down, which creates a uncomfortable presence and surge of a crowd with this ICE agent, do not know who might be there and coming up as well.
HUNT: Laura --
COATES: Also, there are other people here who are actually taking to the ground. It's agitating again. Let's listen in -- Kasie.
HUNT: Hey, Laura, can I just ask you? You -- obviously, you know, for viewers who don't know, you grew up in Minnesota. You've covered a lot of these.
Can you kind of walk us through how this compares, how the community is feeling, how the past incidents that they've been dealing with are playing into what we are seeing now on the streets.
COATES: It has culminated into such a level of tension. I was here for 2020. I grew up here as well. But in 2020, obviously, the murder of George Floyd on the streets of Minneapolis, not too far from where Renee Good lost her life as well.
People have been mistrustful and distrustful of police before then. That accelerated it to an exponential degree. They tried to come back as the police force to try to restore trust. There was a mass exodus of police and now you've got ICE who's adding a different layer as well.
People are angry. They're saying not in my community, not here. I've heard words like, how dare they disappear my neighbors? How dare they come into our community and not show their faces?
It is a very different experience in the world that I grew up in here, and that's because the world has changed and its changed quickly here in Minneapolis, where people believe that there is from the top, they believe in Washington, D.C. is responsible in many ways for creating an atmosphere where ICE has felt empowered to act in a way that they feel is extrajudicial. And they're questioning now whether the FBI or the federal government
will actually have an objective and independent investigation that will tell them what they want to know as well.
I can tell you, it is also based on fear. They are afraid. They are sad. They are hurt and they do not want them here. It's tense.
HUNT: All right. Laura, stand by for us. Obviously, we're going to keep your shot up. We're going to keep watching what's going on with you there live.
But I do want to bring in John Miller to this conversation to help us kind of understand, especially what we saw in terms of what those law enforcement officers are doing in the shot that Laura is walking through, right there, standing in a line.
She described one of them shooting something into the crowd and described feeling you know, something that caused her to cough, a burning sensation. Can you help us understand what these law enforcement officers are doing from a protocol perspective, and what they may be reacting to?
JOHN MILLER, CNN CHIEF LAW ENFORCEMENT AND INTELLIGENCE ANALYST: So we learned a lot about this case in the early days of these contretemps in Los Angeles when the ICE team first arrived there and were confronted with demonstrators what they do is, you know, they form a what they call a skirmish line, which is basically, the group that you're not moving past this point. Sometimes when their vehicles come through, they'll move the skirmish line forward. And when the crowd advances on them, or seems to be resisting their enforcement efforts, I guess you could call it ICE has been pretty liberal with the use of cayenne pepper spray gas, pepper balls that can be fired by as projectiles by these rifles where they can inject them into the crowd.
It's an irritant. But it is -- it is part of what they have made their routine crowd control. We also saw a lot of it outside Chicago at the ICE facility there.
And there have been, you know, some fights in court over whether using these kinds of less than lethal weapons did, in fact, come at times when the crowd was, either pushing officers or having contact. And there have been cases where courts have ruled that ICE's versions of those stories were not accurate. So, it's controversial.
HUNT: But, John, is there anything that you would point to today that we have learned about what went on on the ground? I mean, obviously, noteworthy that the Minnesota state authorities are saying that they have been taken out of this investigation process.
MILLER: So, I think what's noteworthy, Kasie, about what we've learned today is we haven't learned anything today, meaning we are looking at the same videotapes, we're looking at the same visual fact pattern. And while that information hasn't advanced at all incongruently, the vice president of the United States, the secretary of homeland security, yesterday, the president of the United States have all come to factual judgments on the efficacy of this shooting. The tactics what was involved, the character of the deceased, Renee Good, in a very broad sense, this is not normal.
During a shooting investigation, particularly in some controversial, highly charged shooting the procedure is usually to say we don't know all the facts. A full investigation has to take place that will be done in the case of federal officers. That would be carried out by the FBI, you know, at the end of the day, we'll have the full story right now without a lot of additional forensic information. At least that has been shared with the public. They've come to some very strong conclusionary statements.
HUNT: One question I think I've had, John, is what our understanding are reported. Understanding is of what Renee Good was doing in the time that led up to this incident. Obviously, our colleagues have done some reporting on how citizens in various cities affected by this have been responding to the presence of ICE. But can you walk us through what we do or don't know about how she came to be in the place that she was, and what interactions she may have been having with those officers before the incident.
MILLER: Sure. And, and I'll do both, which is what we are told was that she dropped her kids off at school that day. One of them. And that she was at this site with her car parked, sticking out into the road when she was confronted by ICE agents. And we've seen what happened there, what we've been told by federal officials, including the secretary of homeland security, is now, remember, let's say, that the kids are dropped at school, at 8:00. Let's say the shooting happens at exactly 10:37 a.m.
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What federal officials are saying is that she had been following agents, part of a group of people that had been following, harassing and impeding ICE agents, throughout the day. So, throughout the day, apparently may contain that short few hours, but they haven't told us how they know that.
HUNT: Right. And is this this pattern of behavior, something that we have seen ICE dealing with elsewhere? Is this something that -- you know, these officers broadly may have, you know, been dealing with in a way that feels systemic to them.
MOILLER: Yes. So, there has been a concerted effort to follow ICE agents, to blow the whistle, literally blowing whistles in neighborhoods to alert people that ICE is near the scene. There has been efforts to slow them down by driving slowly in front of them or blocking them.
So, there has been this effort. We saw that in L.A., we saw that in Chicago. We're seeing that in Minneapolis over the last couple of weeks.
But there has also been 13 shootings involving ICE agents or other federal agents since this immigration crackdown started by the Trump administration, including three of those people who were allegedly following or impeding ICE agents and five people who were trying to flee car stops, as we saw as we believe we saw yesterday, where it appears she's trying to drive off. So, the difference is this is the first one of those shootings, I believe that's been fatal.
HUNT: All right. John Miller, very grateful to have you, as always. Please stand by for us as we're going to continue to cover this unfolding situation.
Laura Coates is on the scene. I want to go back to her just to see it -- Laura, have things seem to have taken a slightly calmer turn, or are the tensions still high where you are?
COATES: The tension is here, but it has calmed down. The tear gas has subsided. You only have certain remnants of it in the air.
People have milk standing by -- so they're asking people who needs milk for their eyes. Obviously, the effects and impact of the gas is impacting people right now. They're being taunted. The ICE agents who are standing back behind this line, you see, all they have right now are these little parking arms that are going down right now.
People all around this crowd are continuing to taunt them, asking them questions like, why are you doing this? Why are you doing this? And you're not wanted here? Go home.
We saw earlier as well the news teams who are also being confronted because there are concerned that whatever narrative is coming out and competing from Washington, D.C. to what people saw with their own eyes, they are assigning blame to media as well in terms of what has been seen. But they are standing here right now about 40, I would say, or so agents. One of the things that's really agitating this crowd is that these individuals have masks on. They believe that it is a sign of cowardice and not a sign of security for the ICE agents.
It is creating a lot of tension. You'll also hear occasionally whistles blowing. That is a sign in the community that ICE is present. And every time there is a caravan of, you know, dark colored SUVs or anything where you actually see a uniformed agent inside, the cars, people descend on the car, they are taunted and they are screamed at because the anger here is so palpable.
The sadness and frustration not only for the death of Robin yesterday -- Renee Good, excuse me, yesterday, but also because of the very presence of ICE here where they do not feel that they are needed. I've heard verbs like disappeared -- they have disappeared. My neighbors. I've heard about concern about the inability to have an independent investigation or an objective investigation at the hands of the federal government as well.
And it comes in waves. People have megaphones that are walking the line, and there was a moment here as well. They're asking him to stay there, say her name. There was a very poignant moment, Kasie, earlier where there were different community members who were standing close to the gates here. The fences where some ICE agents are in their own cars are parked. And they were asking them, why are you doing this? And sometimes you'd say, almost as a helpless tone, we are just trying
to follow the law, pleading with them in some respects. But then when they were leaving, they might be on camera. Their masks went back up, the windows went back up as well.
You're hearing a name being chanted, say your name, Renee Good -- all behind me.
HUNT: Yeah. Really remarkable. Remarkable scenes here. All right. Laura Coates on the scene there. Thank you very much.
And I do think right now, we have -- do we have -- joining me now in THE ARENA to discuss is Democratic senator from Michigan, Elissa Slotkin.
Senator, thank you so much for spending some time with us today.
Youve been watching a little bit of this scene that's playing out on the ground right now in Minneapolis. And I think, let's just start there. What -- what is your message? What would you say to the people of Minneapolis who are out protesting in the streets, upset about what's happened?
SEN. ELISSA SLOTKIN (D-MI): Yeah, I mean, first and foremost, you know, they have a right to protest peacefully. But please don't take the bait. Please take a breath and don't become violent. That helps no one.
And in fact, it plays right into the hands of people who want this to become a bigger incident, who want this to become more violent. And then secondly, they -- we all should be asking for an independent investigation, right? We need just like yesterday when this happened, I called senior police officials in Michigan and I just said, you know, walk me through what happens. You've seen the video.
And, you know, this officer should be put on admin leave while there's an independent investigation. And every party involved gets the right to sort of say what they think went on. And then there's a decision. That's what we need. And I think what's going on right now is a feeling like there's no way to get an independent view of that.
So, I feel that. I hear that. That's a legitimate feeling. And that's why we need someone independent who can take a look at this.
HUNT: Would you trust the results from the FBI says that they are investigating, but Minnesota officials have been cut out. If the FBI does put out a report, do you think it will be trustworthy?
SLOTKIN: I mean, I think, look, we -- it's almost an impossible thing for me as a former CIA officer, to think about, like living in America, where we can't trust our institutions. But I think -- given the lack of trust on the ground, literally, in the videos that you're showing on tv we need to have some sort of oversight.
So, if the FBI is going to do the investigation, you could nominate, you know, the former head of Department of Homeland Security under a different administration. You know, Mike Chertoff, have him come in and do some oversight in that investigation, bring in someone who is a retired head of the national association of police chiefs or sheriffs associations.
There's lots of credible voices in law enforcement who can come in and provide that independent voice on top of an FBI thorough investigation.
HUNT: But you wouldn't trust Kash Patel's FBI by itself.
SLOTKIN: Well, look, the career folks over there, I trust, but the political folks, they've already shown themselves, you know, to be political actors before their law enforcement officers. I've seen that in my own life.
So, I think for the benefit of everyone, we need to reestablish some level of trust. So, it can't just be Kash Patel.
HUNT: The politics of this obviously already exploding in Washington and beyond. And one question has become whether Democrats would consider holding up government funding to include restrictions on ICE or deal with DHS funding in a different way. Related to this, would you support using the government funding process to try to make policy changes to how ICE is doing its work?
SLOTKIN: Well, look, I was on the -- I'm on the Homeland Security Committee, and so we were already going to have a pretty hard time coming to bipartisan consensus on the homeland security bill for a whole host of reasons before what happened in Minneapolis, for a lot of things that have gone on across the country.
So, I'm certainly open to that conversation. But I don't know that we were just, you know, right on the cusp of a perfect sunshine and rainbows bill that we all agreed on to begin with. But so, yes, I'm willing to have that conversation.
HUNT: And would you be willing to, in the context of obviously, we've been running the government by continuing resolution for a decade plus now. If Democrats move to try to hold up overall government funding over this, is that something you would support?
SLOTKIN: Well, look, back in December, we did pass some year long appropriations. We have others on the table this month, so some things are already funded, I think look, this is what the Senate does and what the house does is appropriate money and provide oversight. So, these are things -- these are our tools. And we certainly should be having a conversation about exercising those tools.
HUNT: Speaking of tools, there are some Democrats in the House who have suggested that impeachment proceedings against Kristi Noem be launched, the Department of Homeland Security secretary. Is that a tool you think should be used?
SLOTKIN: I mean, look, I'm open -- again, I'm open to all of these things. I want to be effective. I want something that actually helps the situation on the ground. And I think that's where you need -- number one, some of my Republican colleagues who chair these committees to actually stand up and speak on behalf of Americans, of provide some of that oversight.
But I think also we like more importantly to me, is have her come and talk about this in a hearing, have her explain to the American public what's going on, have her address, some of these issues.
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She hasn't come in front of our committee, to my knowledge. Maybe once since her confirmation hearing. The American people clearly want a conversation about what's going on in our streets. So, she should come and have that conversation with the American people.
HUNT: Before I let you go, one political line we saw from Democrats around 2018 or so, I had a conversation with then Senator Kamala Harris about at the time, some progressives wanted to abolish ICE. What would you say to progressives who might resume that line of conversation in light of the events?
SLOTKIN: I mean, again, I'm a former CIA officer. You need law enforcement. You do. I'm sorry. And whether you -- you're using them correctly, that's a whole other conversation. But again, I wasn't for abolishing the police when that became a popular talking point. And I'm not for abolishing law enforcement now.
HUNT: All right. Senator Elissa Slotkin of Michigan, really appreciate your time today. I hope you'll come back.
SLOTKIN: Thank you.
HUNT: All right. We're going to stay on this story. The lieutenant governor of Minnesota set to join us live next.
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HUNT: All right. We're continuing to follow tense scenes playing out in the streets of Minneapolis within just the past few minutes, the governor, Tim Walz, has authorized the state national guard to be staged to be ready to support local law enforcement if they're needed.
CNN's Omar Jimenez joins us now from the federal building in Minneapolis.
Omar, walk us through the scene there.
OMAR JIMENEZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah, right now, it's tense as its been for much of the day here. What we've been monitoring is sort of this standoff between protesters. And you can see the Border Patrol agents, at least the federal agents just beyond this barrier here at the -- at the edge of this federal building, as you sort of look across, people have come with signs. You see flags like the Mexican flag that's up there, this sign, you choose God, karma chooses you, too. Obviously, a lot of anger over what happened just yesterday at this point.
We've got a little bit of flare up. They are coming. They're coming towards us right now. Stay up. You're good, you're good. So, they're pushing folks back right now.
As you can see behind me, there, they've deployed some form of crowd repellent just in the last few seconds here. And look, this has been a lot of what we've seen over the course of the day. Someone just threw a water bottle towards those agents, which really they're heading into the crowd right now.
We are going to back up. They are moving, truly sprinting into the crowd, and they are tackling folks. They are tackling folks. Come this way.
HUNT: We're with you, Omar. Stay safe.
JIMENEZ: Turn around. You see right there. You see, they are literally going into the crowd and seem to be sprinting after individuals. They just broke from the line. Outside of that federal building so quickly. I mean, they are they're now into this parking lot as I've followed many people. What preceded that was literally I saw it in the air.
Someone threw a water bottle, landed right in the front of that line of agents, and that prompted them, quite literally, to sprint out into the crowd of people here just outside this federal building. I mean, to this point, they had really just been in a line standing there.
And now you see over here, there's another situation going where agents have formed another line. They're telling people to back up, as that guy has his hands up there. But you see other agents coming in here seemingly to support this unit that sort of has gathered over here.
But I cannot emphasize enough how quickly this change -- you saw it in real time here. They've got some other agents coming through as well, and they seem to be gathering here. We are across the street from that border entrance to the -- to this federal building where the majority of the protesters had been gathered.
So, we're not sure. Oh, you know what? Right here, there's someone that they arrested right there. They put into handcuffs right there in orange. Amid that sea of camo from those from those law enforcement officers -- I mean, they quite literally sprinted into the crowd, almost every single one of them off of that line.
And now you have some of this same crowd gathered now on what has become a new line of law enforcement here, as they're -- looks like they're going to be walking this person out of the way, we're going to get out of their way as they head towards our direction.
Right behind you, Jordan, I'm talking to our photographer here. So, you can see they've got someone in in cuffs right there in the orange. As law enforcement here is now taking this person away, back towards the federal property here. It's unclear if he was the person that may have thrown that water
bottle, but literally looked up and saw that bottle land at their feet. And that's sort of what prompted this really rapid and aggressive response here, Kasie, as you just saw, play out firsthand
HUNT: Yeah, Omar. Excellent reporting from the scene there. And obviously really, really underscores the level of tension and heightened emotion on the street. Were again, still sticking with you. So go ahead if you want to continue narrating what you're seeing.
JIMENEZ: Yeah. So, I was just getting our crew out of the street there because some cars were coming through. But you can see the agents sort of backing up towards this federal property. That man in the orange there that they took into custody is now beyond the gates of this property that has really been sort of the focal point of a lot of the protests today, or at the very least, a lot of the flare ups that we have seen over the course of today.
Some of the protests, as we sort of walk back towards the scene where the protests were initially staged, some of what we saw over the course of yesterday was really centered on the vigil itself, which is at the scene of where Renee Good was shot and killed and where her vehicle, essentially was the final resting place. That that many witness in that particular neighborhood and that has really been the focal point of a lot of the anger here.
Some of the folks that I'm seeing here on the streets, they've come up to me and they remember me from being out on the streets in George Floyd and some of those same protesters are out here now reflecting to me some of some of the similar feelings of anger that they have harbored in some cases over years.
Now, I should say with this particular case, some of the anger we've seen toward federal immigration law enforcement, we have seen rise in a lot of cities over the course of the past year and change since this new Trump administration, even before this shooting, when there was news that the federal government would be surging, federal immigration enforcement here, there was a lot of anger over the fact, not just by citizens, but by local leaders here as well, over whether that was even needed in a place like this.
So, you can see were back here at the at the start of where we were just literally moments ago, where people had sort of been gathered in the face of law enforcement here. And this has really been the back and forth that we've seen over the course of the day, Kasie. A lot of anger here in this community -- Governor Walz here --
HUNT: All right. It looks like we're having a little bit of trouble, Omar, with your shot. It's breaking up a little bit. So, I'm going to say standby to Omar. We're going to go back to him in the event that we need to.
But joining us now to discuss in THE ARENA, Democratic lieutenant governor of Minnesota, Peggy Flanagan.
Thank you very much for being with us. And I do want to start on the news that we just reported here that the governor, Tim Walz, has authorized the guard to be staged. Do you know, what can you tell us about what precipitated that in this moment, as opposed to what may have happened earlier today?
LT. GOV. PEGGY FLANAGAN (D), MINNESOTA: I think, you know, yesterday, the governor also made sure that the national guard was on standby. This -- these are folks who, you know, live in our communities. You know, their role is to, you know, to keep the peace, ensure that people can, you know, demonstrate, safely and out of abundance of caution, right? These folks are on standby.
But to be clear, right, what we have seen so far from Minnesotans is that they have demonstrated peacefully. Nonviolent resistance is one of the most important tools in our toolbox. You know, in our democracy. And so last night, you saw thousands of folks show up in a vigil honoring the life of Renee Good.
You saw that again this morning. You saw demonstration, a press conference called by faith leaders across denominations over the noon hour. People are hurting. They're angry. They are, you know, full of lament. And that's what -- that's what you see on the ground right now. And just don't want folks to give Donald Trump a reason, right, to react.
We've already seen that ICE agents, frankly, are not taking the safety of Minnesotans seriously. And so, making sure that folks are demonstrating peacefully is incredibly important. We keep each other safe. And that is what is needed and necessary right now.
HUNT: Our Omar Jimenez, we just saw live on camera reporting somebody threw a water bottle at that line of ICE agents. Where do you put that in here? I mean, is doing something like that giving fuel to the Trump administration, as you put it? What would you say to the person who did that?
FLANAGAN: I would say, don't do that. Right? You know, again peacefully demonstrate, make your voices heard. But like, let's also just be clear right where this is coming from. This is coming from the fact that, right, you know, people are showing up to peacefully demonstrate in the street because Renee Good was killed yesterday by an ICE agent, right? We all saw with our own eyes video footage from, you know, multiple vantage points.
And now, Donald Trump and Kristi Noem are trying to, you know, spin this tale that, that somehow that's not exactly, you know, what happened. They're trying to disparage the memory of Renee Good by calling her a terrorist. J.D. Vance just this afternoon said that ICE agents can act with absolute immunity. That is completely false.
And so, you know, folks in our community deserve, you know, deserve better. And what we've seen is that ICE agents, right, are detaining American citizens. They are arresting innocent bystanders. They are putting you know, throwing folks into the back of vans.
And just yesterday, we're on the grounds of a local school arresting people, right? And deploying chemical agents in front of literal children. And now, Minneapolis public schools has closed schools for two days, right?
Like the guys that somehow ICE is here to make us safer is, complete and utter baloney. They make anything but safe.
HUNT: So, given how you feel about that, would you echo the mayor of Minneapolis said to ICE get the F out? Do you think ICE should get the F out of Minnesota?
FLANAGAN: Absolutely. ICE should get out of Minnesota. They should leave us alone because all we have seen is that they have caused, you know, chaos and terror in our communities. And children are literally have to stay home from school today. That's outrageous. These mass agents, right in our community -- it's time to go. Get out.
HUNT: I was just speaking with Senator Slotkin of Michigan about the calls that previously came from members of the Democratic Party to abolish ICE. Do you think ICE should be abolished?
FLANAGAN: I mean, let's be clear. If you see, like what is happening in the streets of Minnesota, you've seen what's happened in the streets of Los Angeles and Chicago, that these mass agents, who are detaining people at elementary school, right, graduations, who are detaining American citizens who are carrying their passports, we have to absolutely start over with this agency.
And frankly, Kristi Noem, and, you know, leadership of ICE should be dragged in front of Congress. And let's be clear how they are acting right now is unconstitutional. So, should we throw out this current model of ICE? Absolutely, yes. They are causing chaos and terror in our communities.
And it's nothing that anyone who believes in due process, who believes in the United States of America, who took a vow to uphold the Constitution like I did, should have, you know, any sense that this is an agency that should be supported when they are behaving this way?
HUNT: All right. The lieutenant governor of Minnesota, Peggy Flanagan, thanks very much for spending some time with us today. I really appreciate it.
We do, though, need to stay with these pictures that we're getting live in from Minneapolis. Our Laura Coates is seeing more on the ground there -- Laura.
COATES: Oh my gosh. Okay, so what's happening every time there is an incident earlier just now about a couple of minutes ago, where somebody was trying to bring some sort of drinks or a cart to the ICE agents who were behind this line. People were angered by that. People began to throw bottles it appears at the ICE agents. They took off running after the person. They have arrested somebody as well.
You have people who are coming in right now, and every time a car tries to enter in, the ICE agents will advance on the crowd to stand their ground. There is anger and there is palpable frustration happening right now here as they are directing their weapons that include these pellets, that include tear gas. People have tear gas masks on their bodies as we speak. They retreat every time there's a moment that's happening just like this.
There is so much anger towards these agents. In fact, as the caravan was coming earlier, people would swarm the car to address them and identify them as agents as well. They take off running whenever somebody is threatening them and they're going together. And one advanced crowd at one point, at least a dozen officers took off and tried to bring down somebody who they ultimately arrested.
HUNT: All right. Laura Coates, thank you very much for that update. We're going to continue to monitor Laura's shot. All the scenes coming into us from Minneapolis.
We're going to stay on this story, but we are going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.
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[16:53:44]
HUNT: All right. You are looking at live pictures of Minneapolis. This is the scene where we've been seeing a tense standoff between protesters and federal officers. We've been following it all hour. Weve watched as at least one person was detained.
Just moments ago, the Minnesota governor, Tim Walz, authorized the state national guard to be prepared to support local law enforcement if necessary.
Major General Randy Manner is joining our panel. He served as the former acting vice chief at the National Guard Bureau.
We're also joined here on set by our political panel who's going to weigh in in just a moment. Elliot Williams, David Chalian, Adrienne Elrod, former speaker pro temp, Patrick McHenry.
But, Randy, let me start with you. Just in terms of what this National Guard move means from the governor, Tim Walz, how big of a step is it and why might he be doing it?
MAJOR GENERAL RANDY MANNER, FORMER ACTING VICE CHIEF, NATIONAL GUARD BUREAU: It's a very wise choice for the governor to be able to have the National Guard standing by. What they're going to be doing is preparing for crowd control. They'll have the right equipment, they'll be doing some training as they wait, as they muster their forces.
One technique that the governor with, in coordination with the state and local police will do, is to provide a buffer between the protesters and the federal authorities such that you can imagine its almost like a no man's land.
[16:55:01]
De-escalate the situation. And that will provide greater opportunity for this to calm down amid this very, very tragic, tragic situation.
HUNT: All right. Randy, stand by for me. I want to bring the conversation here into the studio.
Congressman McHenry, we heard from the vice president earlier today, J.D. Vance. Very strong words defending the ICE officer here.
How do you see the way the Trump administration is doing this, considering how normally when things like this happen, I typically honestly, federal officials are a lot more careful about how they characterize what has happened.
PATRICK MCHENRY (R), FORMER SPEAKER PRO TEMPORE: There are two separate press conferences. You had Secretary Noem, and that press conference was less artful. I think the vice president was doing the messaging from the White House press room to communicate to the rest of America, they're backing law enforcement. I think that was the clear message from Vance, that the default here was not just to blame the law enforcement officer, but to say, well, we need to give him the benefit of the doubt for the actions taken. And now --
HUNT: Not blaming the woman, right? I mean, that piece of it.
MCHENRY: Yeah. Well, that -- this is a different White House on the structure of this, this is messaging to the rest of America. What you see for a lot of Americans, they see somebody driving into a police scene and thinking, well, that's not a reasonable decision. The spouse is taking a video of this, a terrible outcome, obviously a terrible outcome.
But to insert yourself into a fraught situation like that is the first failure of multiple steps in this failure. And for reasonable minds, which there are none in this conversation, for reasonable minds you can say two things can be true at once. She should not have put herself in that situation. Number one, and the law enforcement officer should not have taken the approach to shoot the driver, but to shoot the vehicle.
And there are very different or other ways of dealing -- of de- escalating the situation. So, two things can be true at once. But we're in the political debate here, which is quite rampant and loud in Minnesota and also becoming loud across the country.
DAVID CHALIAN, CNN WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF: Yeah, not only did the situation yesterday not get de-escalated, quite obviously, tragically, there's no de-escalation going on right now in the political conversation around this and in the back and forth. Yes, we're seeing tension on the ground there. But this is -- I just feel like this is being ramped up to be a tinderbox now, and one that I think we do not know how it will be contained.
HUNT: I'm stuck on your phrase, reasonable minds, because I'm also struck on David by the sheer speed with which the political division is occurring here. It's not as though we've never watched a tragic event happen, and then seen the country ultimately become divided about the outcome or the process. But I do find it stunning how quickly this has happened.
CHALIAN: I mean, instantly, because within an hour of people seeing the video or it -- was when Kristi Noem fully adjudicated the secretary of homeland security, what she said the facts of the case were without an investigation.
HUNT: Elliot Williams -- I mean, what are the legal -- what happens next legally?
ELLIOT WILLIAMS, CNN LEGAL ANALYST: Yeah. So truly, Kasie, I think the worst aspect of all of this is the lack of state involvement in it. Lets be clear, reasonable minds can disagree on all kinds of things. A homicide was committed in Minneapolis.
Now, that's not saying it's a murder. That's not saying it was justified or it was unjustified. But the simple fact is it's a homicide.
When one happens, state authorities have an obligation and probably even a duty to investigate it. And it's happened all across the history of law enforcement in America that the federal and state governments can investigate police involved shootings just like they would any other.
And the idea that the state folks are now being shunted from this is really a breach of any sort of normal protocol in law enforcement cases.
HUNT: Adrienne Elrod, we just saw two Democrats on the show with two very different views of what should be said about this situation. What is your assessment of where the party should be as this tinderbox continues to burn?
ADRIENNE ELROD, DEMOCRATIC STRATEGIST: Well, look, I thought Elissa Slotkin, who there's a reason why she is moving up in leadership and why she is so well regarded by her colleagues and by a lot of her constituents is because she really did strike, I think, a pragmatic approach on this, which is we need law enforcement, of course we do. But there's got to be an investigation. And I think that if we are trying to de-escalate the situation, if you just have the FBI, who's going to go in and say, we're going to investigate this without the state authorities, that's only going to add more to it.
So, I think striking that middle balance, encouraging people for peaceful protests, that's the right approach. And she took it.
HUNT: Randy Manner, we have about 30 seconds. So if you could be very brief, but I'll give you the last word. What risks do you think there are to putting the guard in the streets, considering that the Trump administration has used them as well?
MANNER: In this particular case, I believe that the use of the guard in coordination with state and state and local police could actually help provide a buffer and lead to de-escalation. Because they are structured, they are organized, they will be respectful of the of the protesters.
HUNT: All right. Randy Manner, very much appreciate your expertise. Thanks very much to my panel for spending the hour with us. It was
very active hour, and we're going to continue this live coverage right here on CNN.
"THE LEAD WITH JAKE TAPPER" starts right now.
