Tension in Chicago: Federal agents shoot woman, claims they were 'boxed in' by 10 cars; she was an armed threat

A massive chaos unfolded in Chicago Saturday when US Border Patrol agents shot a woman claiming that it was in self defense as the woman was armed with a semi-automatic weapon and was trying to attack the agents. The agents said they were rammed by 10 cars as they were patrolling. The woman was in one of those cars, driving.

The woman was already known to the federal agency for allegedly publicly identifying agents and encouraging people to attack them, Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin said.

The shooting was reported at around 10:30 a.m. near the intersection of South California Avenue and West 35th Street in the city’s Brighton Park neighborhood. "Agents were unable to move their vehicle and exited the car," Tricia said.

Today in Chicago, members of our brave law enforcement were attacked—rammed and boxed in by ten vehicles, including an attacker with a semi-automatic weapon.

I am deploying more special operations to control the scene. Reinforcements are on their way.

If you see a law…

— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) October 4, 2025

What is happening in Chicago?

Protests have occurred in recent days as part of an immigration enforcement effort called "Operation Midway Blitz," which has seen more than 1,000 arrests. Agents have been raiding houses, landing on rooftops from their helicopters and breaking down doors in an operation the Trump administration said targeted gang members of Tren de Aragua, citing a rise in crime.

There have also been arrests of local officials and candidates for office who were protesting, including Illinois’ ninth congressional district Kat Abughazaleh, who went viral with a video of an ICE agent slamming her to the ground.

Kristi Noem was seen at an ICE facility Friday when law enforcement was cracking down on protesters.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker accused the federal agents of separating children from their parents, tying their hands, and detaining them in “dark vans” for hours. Videos and photos showing flashbang grenades erupting on the street, followed by residents of the building being led to a parking lot across the street going viral on social media drawing condemnation.

“Military-style tactics should never be used on children in a functioning democracy,” Pritzker said in a statement on Friday. “This didn’t happen in a country with an authoritarian regime; it happened here in Chicago. It happened in the United States of America, a country that should be a bastion of freedom, hope, and the rights of our people as guaranteed by the Constitution,” he added.