Minnesota authorities on Thursday accused the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office of preventing them from accessing evidence in the case of the woman killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), stating they were excluded from the case. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) said in a statement that despite a prior agreement for a joint investigation into the woman's death, the FBI backed down by informing them they would "no longer have access to case materials, crime scene evidence, or investigative interviews." "Without full access to evidence, witnesses, and collected information, we cannot meet the standards of investigation that Minnesota law and the public demand. As a result, the BCA has reluctantly withdrawn from the investigation," said BCA Superintendent Drew Evans. The announcement comes amid conflicting accounts from local authorities and the administration of President Donald Trump regarding the death of Renee Good, a 37-year-old American who died on Wednesday after being shot by an ICE agent while driving her vehicle between protests against ICE raids in Minneapolis. Police members guard the Bishop Henry Federal Building this Thursday in Minneapolis (USA). EFE/Ángel Colmenares Trump called the woman a "professional agitator" and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused her of "domestic terrorism," claiming she was trying to run over agents with her car. However, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey denied this version, stating that the officers killed her unjustly. Noem responded Thursday at a press conference that the state agency was "not excluded" from the case, but rather "has no jurisdiction in this investigation." However, the BCA stated that its Investigations Unit "was designed to ensure consistency, accountability, and public trust, which cannot be achieved without full cooperation and clarity on jurisdiction." "We hope the FBI conducts a thorough and complete investigation, and that the complete case file is shared with the appropriate law enforcement authorities at both the state and federal levels," stated Superintendent Evans. The incident has escalated existing protests against ICE in Minneapolis, where at least eight people were detained Thursday at the start of the second day of demonstrations over the woman's death, according to several witnesses confirmed to EFE. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz declared a state of emergency Wednesday and asked the National Guard to be prepared to respond to the protests, while the city's public schools canceled the remainder of the week's classes for safety reasons. Photo EFE
