How journalists should cover ICE’s fatal shooting of a civilian in Minneapolis

Journalists have a critical role to play in covering a fatal use of force by any law enforcement officer. It’s the most basic form of holding power to account.

That responsibility is especially urgent after a federal immigration officer fatally shot a 37-year-old woman in Minneapolis on Wednesday, an incident that was captured on multiple videos and has prompted sharply conflicting accounts from federal, state and local officials.

Federal officials said the agent acted in self-defense, claiming the woman “weaponized” her vehicle. State and local leaders have forcefully disputed that account, with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey calling it “bullshit” and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz describing federal statements as “propaganda.” Witnesses have also offered accounts that raise questions about whether the use of force was justified.

Editors and newsroom leaders now face a familiar but urgent set of ethical decisions.