Officers responded to a call of gunshots fired at federal agents Saturday amid immigration enforcement operations in Chicago that drew residents to protest in the streets, authorities said.
Although police reported no injuries from the gunfire incident, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the shots came from a man in a black Jeep who was specifically targeting agents involved in the operation.
The shooter and the vehicle remain at large, as tensions rise due to increasingly aggressive federal enforcement actions in the area.
This incident occurred during Operation Midway Blitz, a crackdown that has been running for two months and has sparked significant backlash from local residents.
Protests intensified, particularly in Little Village, a neighborhood with a heavy Mexican population, where community members confronted armed agents and damaged police vehicles.
A federal judge issued an injunction restricting the agents' use of force after criticizing a high-ranking Border Patrol official for allegedly misrepresenting the threats posed by protesters.
On Saturday, demonstrators made their presence known by blowing whistles and shouting at agents, demanding that they leave the area. Some protesters clashed with local police, resulting in vandalism of a police vehicle.
No immediate comments were available from U.S. Customs and Border Protection regarding the prevailing circumstances.
