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What is State Emergency Operations Center? Tim Walz's latest move amid Minneapolis shooting uproar
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has activated State Emergency Operations Center after a shooting incident involving federal agents in Minneapolis.
Minneapolis shooting update: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has launched the State Emergency Operations Center, CNN reported, citing a source in the governor's office, following the incident where federal agents shot and killed a man in Minneapolis.
What is State Emergency Operations Center?
According to a state website, the center “is where state, local and federal agencies coordinate the response to a disaster, emergency or terrorist event.”
“The governor, state director of emergency management and homeland security and other agencies direct all state resources at this center when responding to and recovering from an event,” the website states.
Also Read: Minneapolis shooting: Chilling details out as ICE agents kill 37-year-old ‘armed suspect’
Tim Walz wants Minneapolis shooting to be probed by state
In the wake of Minneapolis shooting, Walz has called on federal authorities to permit the state to spearhead the investigation into the shooting that resulted in the death of a 37-year-old US citizen during anti-ICE demonstrations in Minneapolis.
In a post on X, Walz said, “I told the White House the state must lead the investigation.”
He underscored the necessity for state investigators to be granted the opportunity to “secure justice” and urged the public to maintain peace and allow law enforcement the space to operate.
Walz further highlighted that the state possesses adequate personnel to guarantee public safety and cautioned that federal agents should not hinder the state's efforts to control the situation.
DHS acts in self-defense
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the man was armed with a handgun and advanced towards Border Patrol officers during a specific operation. He “violently resisted” the officers' attempts to disarm him, prompting an agent to shoot in self-defense.
Meanwhile, protestors have gathered on the street close to the location of the fatal shooting in Minneapolis. Federal law enforcement officials have used tear gas to disperse the crowds present at the site.
