It is cold in Minnesota today. Bone-chilling, Jan. 14, 2026, kind of cold. But if you’ve stepped outside in Minneapolis or even scrolled through your feed, you know the atmosphere is anything but frozen. It's white-hot.
Between the hum of heaters and the sound of snow tires, there is a massive, complicated friction between local police, federal agents, and a community that feels like it’s reached a breaking point. Honestly, trying to track what happened in minnesota today police is like trying to follow a dozen different fires at once. You’ve got the local 911 calls, sure, but the real story is the "Operation Metro Surge" and the fallout of the Renee Good shooting.
The Morning Prayer Vigil and the State of the City
At exactly 9:37 a.m. this morning, the city didn't get louder. It got quiet.
A massive prayer vigil began at the intersection of Portland Avenue, right between East 33rd and 34th Streets. This is the spot where Renee Good was killed by an ICE agent just one week ago. Organized by Sheletta Brundidge, the vigil wasn't your typical loud protest. It was a three-hour stationary presence.
People stood in 30-minute shifts.
Why 30 minutes? Because Renee left behind three children. Three shots were fired. The symmetry is heartbreaking, and the mood on the ground was heavy with a mix of grief and just plain exhaustion. While people prayed, the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD) was noticeably keeping its distance, though they’re still racking up insane overtime just to keep the peace at the edges of these gatherings.
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The Legal Civil War: Minnesota vs. Washington
If you’re wondering why the local cops look so stressed, it’s because their bosses—Mayor Jacob Frey and AG Keith Ellison—are basically at war with the federal government.
Yesterday, the state of Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul filed a massive federal lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Today, the tension from that filing is palpable.
Basically, the state is saying: "Get out."
The lawsuit alleges that the surge of over 2,000 federal agents is unconstitutional. They’re claiming it violates the Tenth Amendment. Essentially, the feds have "commandeered" local resources. Think about it—when an ICE agent abandons a car in the middle of I-94 after an arrest (which happened near Maple Grove recently), it’s the Minnesota State Patrol that has to deal with the traffic hazard.
What’s Happening on the Streets Right Now?
It’s not just the Twin Cities. The "police" activity today spans from the metro all the way to Greater Minnesota. Here is the breakdown of what we’re seeing on the scanners and in the streets:
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- The Whipple Building Clash: Early this morning, around midnight and continuing into the dawn hours, protesters and federal agents clashed outside the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building. It’s the nerve center for these operations, and it’s become a lightning rod for "observers" who are following agents to record their every move.
- The Marshall "News of Record": In Greater Minnesota, the day-to-day police work continues, though it feels small compared to the federal drama. Marshall Police reported a hit-and-run on C Street and a domestic incident on West Main. In a weirdly "Minnesota" turn of events, a Lyon County Sheriff’s squad car hit a deer at Highway 23 and College Drive late last night. Everyone—except the deer—is okay.
- The School Lockdowns: This is what’s really rattling parents. Schools like Carondelet Catholic and Justice Page Middle School have seen "lockouts" or "lockdowns" because of ICE activity happening just blocks away. When a federal team uses a battering ram on a door in a residential neighborhood, the local police are often the ones flooded with 911 calls from terrified neighbors who think they’re witnessing a kidnapping.
The Justice Department’s "No"
The biggest headline for what happened in minnesota today police is actually a "non-action."
The U.S. Justice Department officially announced today that they see "no basis" for a civil rights probe into the Renee Good shooting. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche released a statement saying the agent acted in self-defense.
This has caused a massive rift.
In response, about half a dozen federal prosecutors in the Minnesota U.S. Attorney’s office just... quit. They resigned. It’s almost unheard of to see that many career prosecutors walk out at once. They’re citing political pressure. It means the "police" work on the federal level is currently in a state of total internal chaos.
Meanwhile, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty isn't backing down. She’s moving forward with her own state-level investigation, even though the FBI told the Minnesota BCA to stay out of it. It’s a jurisdictional nightmare that most legal experts say they’ve never seen before.
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The Human Toll of the Surge
Beyond the lawyers and the lawsuits, there’s a real fear on the ground. People are carrying passports to the grocery store.
The Minnesota AG's office has been documenting cases of racial profiling. One report mentions an agent telling a person they were being stopped because "I can hear you don't have the same accent as me." That’s the kind of stuff that turns a community against any form of law enforcement, local or federal.
Actionable Insights for Minnesotans Today
If you are navigating the Twin Cities or Greater Minnesota during this period of heightened police and federal activity, here are the most practical steps to stay safe and informed:
- Know Your Jurisdictions: If you are pulled over, identify who is stopping you. Local police (MPD, St. Paul PD) and State Patrol have different protocols and identification than masked federal agents in tactical gear.
- The "Right to Record" is Legal (For Now): Despite some reports of agents telling observers to stop filming, it is generally legal to record law enforcement in public spaces in Minnesota, provided you aren't interfering with their work.
- Use Official Evidence Portals: If you witnessed the Renee Good shooting or other recent incidents, the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office has a specific portal for video and photo submissions. They are actively bypassed the federal lockdown on evidence.
- Check School Status Early: With lockdowns becoming a byproduct of "Operation Metro Surge," check your school’s communication app (like Seesaw or Infinite Campus) before drop-off.
- Stay Clear of I-94 Median Hazards: There have been multiple reports of "ghost cars" left in the median following federal detentions. Keep your eyes on the road, especially during snowy conditions where visibility is low.
The situation in Minnesota isn't going to resolve by dinner time. With President Trump announcing he’ll cut federal funding to the state starting February 1st, the standoff between local authorities and the feds is only going to get weirder. For now, the best anyone can do is stay alert and keep a close eye on the local news of record.