Bulwark Takes – Breaking Live Reaction: Second Fatal ICE Shooting in Minneapolis (Jan 24, 2026)

Episode Overview

On this urgent, emotionally charged live episode, The Bulwark’s Tim Miller and Jonathan V. Last (JVL), joined by contributors including Sarah Longwell and on-the-ground voices, deliver real-time analysis and reaction to the breaking news: a second fatal shooting in Minneapolis by federal agents, reportedly ICE or other DHS personnel, during ongoing Operation Metro Surge. As video footage quickly spreads and protests ignite, the team scrutinizes evolving facts, government statements, and press conferences, while reflecting on American democracy, policing, and constitutional crises in the escalating clash between Minnesota officials and federal authorities.

Main Segments & Timelines

1. Breaking News & Initial Reactions

[01:06–03:12]

• Tim Miller recaps reported facts: Federal agents shot and killed one person in South Minneapolis about two hours prior. Protests immediately gathered at the scene.
• Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz issued a statement urging the president to "end this operation and pull the untrained officers out."
• Host warns viewers of the graphic nature of videos circulating showing what appears to be an execution-style killing.
• Jonathan Last: “They keep pushing people.” ([02:12])

2. Video Breakdown & Immediate Analysis

[03:12–07:11]

• JVL notes 7–9 agents on scene, possible ICE/CBP/DHS affiliation, and highlights extreme use of force: “This looks like a cartel street execution…not like actual law enforcement professionals doing a job.” ([03:26])
• Raises issue of Minneapolis’ legal open/concealed carry, questioning any justification for the force seen.

3. Government Response & Federal/Local Tensions

[06:44–07:31]

• Tim Miller flags federal agents trying to keep local (Minneapolis PD) away from the scene: “Some of the ICE agents…fled the scene in their cars. Not standard operating procedure.”
• JVL: “This is now the third time they've fled the scene of a shooting.” ([07:04])
• Scenes described as “macabre,” with agents pulling masks higher to avoid identification as bystanders record video.

4. Protests & Minneapolis on Edge

[07:31–09:54]

• Protesters quickly arrive; reports of tear gas (likened to scenes from “Fallujah”).
• Tim Miller: “Agents fired off tear gas to try to disperse the protests…just regular citizens walking through the scene…trying to express their First Amendment right.”

5. Comparing to Historical, International Abuses

[09:54–11:35]

• JVL draws parallels to authoritarian regimes: “This is what you would have expected in Duterte’s Philippines, East Germany…not in my neighborhood, so not real? That’s not how these things work.”
• Urges national attention and empathy beyond “it’s not here so it’s not real.”

6. Options for State/Local Pushback

[11:35–15:34]

• Tim Miller shares conversations with Minneapolis Mayor Frey about the legality and feasibility of local officials arresting federal agents. Notes Governor Walz is under pressure to mobilize the National Guard—though that brings risks Trump could federalize them.
• JVL: “We are engaged in a low grade civil conflict…federal government against state governments in ways we haven’t seen since the civil rights era. Except this time the federal government are the baddies.” ([13:52])

Notable Quote

JVL ([13:52]):
“We are engaged in a low grade civil conflict…in ways that we really haven't seen since the civil rights era. Except this time the federal government are the baddies.”

7. Second Amendment, Protests, and Double Standards

[16:32–21:33]

• Tim Miller and JVL question the response of “Second Amendment hardliners”—asking if they'll demand armed resistance when federal agents kill a permitted gun owner (“nobody remembers the name Philando Castile…”).
• Historical hypocrisy discussed: "When it was Philando Castile, the NRA said jack shit about it.” ([20:55])
• Tim: "People have the right to carry their guns... but as soon as these jackbooted thugs kill somebody, the first thing that the Second Amendment crowd does is leak to Fox that he had a weapon."

8. Escalation: National Politics & ICE Funding

[25:16–27:57]

• Tim Miller: Federal DHS budget advanced with help from seven Democrats—a vote that's “total insanity.”
• Maine is discussed as another region facing similar ICE/federal agent surges under Operation Metro Surge.

9. Press Conference: Mayor Frey, Chief O’Hara & Director Sayre

[32:04–44:25]
[Key statements summarized and highlighted—see “Press Conference Details” below]

10. Eyewitness & Local Perspectives

[51:40–54:47]

• Chris Ostrushko, local protester/observer, describes the scale and peace of prior night's protests: “The media kind of played it down...well over a hundred thousand people…We shut down the city. There was not one incident of aggression. It was 100% peaceful protest…then we wake up to this today.”

11. Final Commentary and Reflections

[79:05–end]

• JVL: “The people of Minneapolis and what they are doing is heroic and important…This is a holding action being performed on behalf of liberal democracy everywhere in America.”
• Sarah Longwell: “Conservatives should be opposed to jackbooted thugs being able to murder American citizens…they’re running cover for these people.”
• Emphasis on government dishonesty and citizen bravery.
• Tim Miller: “There’s no reason for this. The federal government has killed two American citizens in Minneapolis for no reason. It’s for show. It’s for propaganda.”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Tim Miller ([01:06]):
  “It’s unimaginably grotesque…execution style killing.”
• Jonathan Last ([03:26]):
  "This looks like a cartel street execution."
• JVL ([09:54]):
  "This is what you would have expected in Duterte’s Philippines or Stasi East Germany."
• Mayor Frey ([32:04]):
  “How many more residents…need to die or get badly hurt for this operation to end?...the invasion of these heavily armed MASK agents roaming our streets...has to end.”
• Rachel Sayre ([36:32]):
  "What I’ve seen here is what I’ve seen there. A powerful entity violently and intentionally terrorizing people..."
• Sarah Longwell ([80:49]):
  “…We were against jackbooted thugs being able to murder American citizens. This was inside something that conservatives were supposed to stand for…”

Press Conference Details (Selected Highlights & Quotes)

Chief Brian O’Hara ([30:47], [41:45]):

• “Our demand today is for those federal agencies that are operating in our city to do so with the same discipline, humanity, and integrity that effective law enforcement in this country demands.”
• Crowd declared an unlawful assembly; mutual aid requested; National Guard on standby.

Mayor Jacob Frey ([32:04]):

• “How many more Americans need to die...before this administration realizes that a political and partisan narrative is not as important as American values? ... This is not a partisan issue. This is an American issue... Stand up for America.”

Rachel Sayre, Emergency Management Director ([36:32]):

• “My background is international humanitarian response in conflict zones… What I’ve seen here is what I’ve seen there… This has a lasting generational impact.”
• “We are sharing info about what to do if you are exposed to tear gas… ACLU collecting reports of rights violations.”

Key Issues and Discussion Points

• Escalation of Federal Force: ICE/DHS actions in Minneapolis now twice lethal, with local and state officials publicly denouncing federal actions.
• Police Professionalism and Brutality: Analysis repeatedly returns to the extraordinary degree of force, with several hosts expressing horror at the “execution aesthetic.”
• Local vs. Federal Authority: Increasing confrontation, with potential for constitutionally unprecedented moves—such as local arrest of federal agents.
• Second Amendment & Racial Double Standards: Calls out the hypocrisy of NRA/“Second Amendment” conservatives in failing to defend the shooting victim, a legal gun owner, and draws parallels to Philando Castile.
• Government (Dis)information: Skepticism of DHS narratives; local leaders openly state they’re not being given truthful information.
• Protest Movement Strength: Hosts and guests repeatedly laud Minneapolis protesters' courage and nonviolence, noting massive crowds amid freezing weather.
• Political Stakes: Strong criticism of Democrats who funded ICE/DHS, debate over whether to filibuster/deliberately force a government shutdown over the crisis.
• Parallels to World History: Frequent comparison to authoritarian crackdowns abroad and in US history (Philippines, East Germany, Civil Rights era).
• Moral and Strategic Dilemmas: Should local officials escalate—or is national unity in calling on the White House a better course?

Emotional & Rhetorical Climate

• Incandescent rage, horror, and sadness dominate.
• Frequent use of historical analogies to authoritarian state violence and Democratic crises.
• Tone alternates between journalistic detachment, moral outrage, and solidarity with Minneapolis citizens and protestors.
• Profanity and gallows humor, especially from Jonathan Last and Tim Miller, reflect deep dismay.

Additional Key Timestamps

• [12:25] Tim reads a quote from Republican Mike Murphy likening ICE actions to Gestapo.
• [18:02] JVL: Should protesters be armed? Contrasts government reactions to white ranchers vs. Minneapolis protesters.
• [21:51] Tim shows video of a 70-year-old protester: “I’m fine. I didn’t breathe anything and I’m just angry. I’m 70 years old angry.”
• [30:47–46:11] Live Press Conference: Mayor, Police Chief, Emergency Director answer press questions about the scene, federal interactions, and shooting details.
• [51:40] Chris Ostrushko reports live: “It turned into the biggest dance party you’ve ever seen in your life...then we wake up to this today.”
• [60:21] Sarah Longwell: “They’re basically operating…off of the same information that the Internet is, because they’re not giving local law enforcement the updates.”
• [78:56] Matt Sepich (NPR): “Homeland Security began seeding a narrative that this man was violent…again, under American law, under Minnesota law…it appears that this man was carrying this firearm legally.”

Takeaways & Conclusion

• Minneapolis experiences a second ICE/DHS killing of a local resident, captured from multiple angles, drawing direct accusations of unlawful, extrajudicial violence.
• Local officials — Mayor Frey, Chief O’Hara, Director Sayre — forcefully denounce both the operation and the lack of federal cooperation, likening conditions to international conflict zones.
• Hosts question not only the legal basis of shootings, but also the breakdown of American governmental norms, including transparency and respect for local authority.
• Mass protests and civil response in Minneapolis are depicted as “heroic,” with the podcast panel openly supporting citizen resistance and denouncing federal military occupation.
• Political and constitutional stakes intensify, with calls for Congressional action, potential state/federal confrontation, and open debate on the necessity (or danger) of escalation.
• Closing thoughts underscore both government dishonesty and the vital, courageous role of ordinary citizens in standing up for American democracy amidst “authoritarian propaganda.”

Recommended Listening for:

• Listeners seeking a ground-level, emotionally honest, and politically incisive breakdown of a pivotal moment in America’s struggle over police power, local vs. federal authority, and democratic protest.

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