MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday authorized the state’s National Guard to assist local law enforcement as tensions rose following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by a federal immigration enforcement officer.
Under an executive order, Walz placed the Minnesota National Guard on standby status, signaling the state is preparing for possible escalation while stopping short of a full deployment. The order allows Guard personnel, equipment, and facilities to be activated if requested, with any deployment limited to a support role for local authorities.
Good was killed earlier this week after authorities say she attempted to run over an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. The incident has prompted demonstrations in Minneapolis, most of which state officials have described as peaceful. Walz said the decision to ready the Guard was made “out of an abundance of caution” to ensure public safety and protect the right to lawful protest.
“Minnesotans have met this moment,” Walz said, praising demonstrators for largely peaceful gatherings. He added that the Guard remains prepared if needed to help maintain order and allow demonstrations to continue safely.
Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan echoed that message, emphasizing that the Guard’s standby status is precautionary. She told CNN that ensuring protests remain peaceful is critical, even as some videos have shown isolated confrontations, including snowballs thrown toward law enforcement.
The executive order also authorizes Walz to allocate additional state resources to Minneapolis law enforcement. The move comes amid broader tensions between Minnesota officials and the Trump administration over federal immigration enforcement and accountability in officer-involved shootings.
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