The shooting, which city officials say occurred on Nicollet Avenue near 26th Street, left a 51-year-old man dead, according to a hospital record obtained by the Associated Press.
17 days after the death of Renee Good, another citizen was attacked and killed by ICE in Minneapolis. A summary of the incident is in the link above and the video of the incident is enclosed below 👇
Nick Francis of the Apple Valley Police Department in his post to social media shows us the gravity of the situation in Minneapolis as a result of the ICE raids. Apple Valley is located south of Minneapolis and according to him, the situation involving ICE is nothing he has ever seen in the nearly three decades of his career. In fact, when reading and asking around about the raids and arrests, many will agree that these acts of terror are un-American and comparable to Nazi Germany with the Gestapo. Francis provides some tips on how to help those affected by the ICE raids. Many of these I find useful.
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If you live in Minnesota and are reading this today, there’s a good chance you’re not feeling quite like yourself. The past month has tested all of us in ways we never expected. There’s no need to revisit every detail of what has unfolded in our state, as most of us are carrying those moments with us already. What matters is the shared truth: our communities are strained, our patience is thin, and the ongoing battle between the federal and state levels have placed Minnesotans, especially law enforcement officers, in an extraordinarily difficult position.
As a police chief in the metro area, I’ve spent the last two weeks in back-to-back conversations with fellow chiefs, officers, community leaders, school administrators, elected officials, and worried residents. In every meeting, someone inevitably asks what my department is going through. And each time, I find myself searching for the right words.
Explaining what we’re experiencing isn’t simple, because it’s not just operational, it’s emotional. It’s about where we stand as a department and how this moment feels from the inside. And I know many other police chiefs are trying to explain it as well. I’ve finally found the clearest way to describe what this moment feels like: we are trapped in a bitter divorce. I hesitated for weeks before using that comparison, but the truth is unavoidable.
After more than 25 years in law enforcement, I’ve responded to countless domestic disputes, custody battles, and painful breakups. The patterns I’ve seen in those homes—the manipulation, the fear, the emotional whiplash—are now playing out publicly on our televisions, radios, and social media feeds.
Our federal and state leaders are locked in open conflict, and the rest of us are caught squarely in the middle. Their language toward each other grows more demeaning by the day. Like parents in a bitter fight, each is trying to convince us to choose them, to believe they are the only one who can keep us safe. They point fingers, highlight each other’s perceived failures, and insist that the other side is the real danger. And here we are, watching the ugliest argument our “parents” have ever had, helpless to stop it and forced to absorb every blow.
And just like children trapped between feuding adults, Minnesotans are feeling scared, confused, and powerless. We’re closing businesses. We’re shifting schools to remote learning. We’re rearranging our daily lives because we no longer know who to trust or who is actually looking out for us. It’s an impossible position, and the vast majority of people in this state are stuck in the middle of a fight they never asked for.
So the question I keep coming back to is simple: what can I do about it?
Sadly, the best guidance I can offer is the same advice officers have given people trapped in emotional separations or custody disputes for decades:
1. Don’t isolate yourself. Many others are feeling the same strain. Stay connected to family, friends, and neighbors. Share how you’re doing, ask how they’re coping, and support one another through the uncertainty.
2. Have a safety plan. Know your limits. Recognize when stress or fear is pushing you toward a breaking point. Think about what your family needs to stay healthy, grounded, and safe.
3. Reach out for help and resources. Whether it’s food support, mental-health services, or spiritual guidance, our communities are full of organizations ready to
help you, your loved ones, or your neighbors meet basic needs.
4. Decide what makes you feel safer. That might mean stepping away from the news cycle, taking time off, or seeking professional support. This kind of emotional strain takes a toll, and only you can determine what brings you back to a place of stability.
As difficult as it is to admit, the same advice we give children caught in a volatile household may be what helps all of us navigate the turmoil we’re living through. At some point, something has to change. Our federal and state leaders need to stop fighting long enough to remember who they serve and what their responsibility is. I can’t predict when that shift will happen, but I know it’s the outcome my community is hoping for.
Residents in Apple Valley and across the entire state are looking for relief, clarity, and leadership. We depend on our state and federal elected officials to provide it. It’s time for them to set aside the conflict and start taking care of their kids.
We’re ready for the fighting to end. We’re ready for real leadership from those at the federal and state levels. As the police chief of Apple Valley, I see every day how much our community depends on stability, clarity, and genuine care. My department will continue to serve, to answer every call, to remain unbiased, and to navigate the difficult space between conflicting directives. But it’s time for our state and federal leaders to rise above the conflict so the Apple Valley community and people of Minnesota are no longer the ones stuck in the middle.
Nick Francis
Apple Valley Police Chief
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The Files just created a page solely for the topic on Trump, which include a wide array of sections from key terms, to the Endgame, the origins of fascism, and even the protests to date. It includes the campaigns to stop Project 2025 and boycott anything that supports Trump. Click on the window below and check it out. You can also find it in the menu section:
Keep in mind that more posts about this will come on a regular basis, including a series on Stories from Minnesota, a real-life account of the ICE atrocities from people affected there. You can contribute your stories by using the contact information here.
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