The Jackson family says a federal officer rolled a tear-gas canister under their SUV in north Minneapolis after they became trapped between protesters and federal officers, filling the vehicle with gas and sending several relatives, including a 6-month-old infant, to the hospital. The infant was breathing but listed in serious condition; the mother, father and three children also received treatment. DHS said officers were responding to "rioters and agitators" and did not target the family. Destiny Jackson said she later received threats after posting about the incident online.
Minneapolis Family Says Tear Gas Canister Was Rolled Under Their SUV, Sending Infant to Hospital
Tear gas surrounds federal law enforcement officers as they leave a scene after a shooting on Wednesday, Jan. 14, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/John Locher)(ASSOCIATED PRESS)
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minneapolis couple says a federal officer rolled a tear-gas canister beneath their family SUV after they became trapped between protesters and federal immigration officers, filling the vehicle with fumes and sending several family members — including a 6-month-old infant — to the hospital.
The Jacksons say the incident occurred Wednesday in north Minneapolis as they were driving home from a middle school basketball game. They encountered a blocked street near an area where federal authorities had earlier reported a man shot in the leg during an attempted arrest and where a separate fatal shooting of Renee Good was reported.
Destiny Jackson, 26, told reporters the scene initially appeared calm and that she stopped to check on her mother, who was on the street. She said she spent 20–30 minutes trying to persuade her mother to leave. Tension grew as flash-bang devices detonated and smoke filled the air; protesters then surrounded the family’s vehicle.
Jackson said the family waited for federal officers to pass and then attempted to drive away, but an officer rolled a tear-gas canister beneath their SUV. "I heard a boom and then the airbags deployed," she said. The canister released noxious gas that rapidly filled the cabin, she said, and her children screamed that they couldn’t breathe. Jackson said her 6-month-old son had his eyes closed and was unresponsive when she pulled him from the vehicle.
First responders reported receiving calls about an infant with respiratory distress. Fire department personnel reached the scene through crowds and said the infant was breathing and stable but in serious condition before transport to a hospital. Jackson said she, her husband and three of their children — including the 6-month-old, a 7-year-old and an 11-year-old — also received medical treatment.
Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, said officers were responding to crowds of "rioters and agitators" and did not target the Jackson family or "their innocent children." The Jacksons say they were not participating in protests and were trying to get home.
After posting about the incident online, Destiny Jackson said she received frightening threats and hateful messages. Local reporting on the broader federal enforcement operation in the Twin Cities has highlighted multiple confrontations between residents, protesters and federal officers during the crackdown.
Reporting note: Associated Press reporter added coverage from Des Moines, Iowa.
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