2 arrested, one charged after unrest, agents’ vehicle vandalism and gun theft in Minneapolis

Federal officials apprehended and charged a man they say is a street gang member and arrested a second man after agents’ vehicles were vandalized and government property stolen during unrest that followed a federal officer shooting and wounding a man on Jan. 14 in north Minneapolis.

Raul Gutierrez, 33, of Minneapolis was charged on Jan. 16 in U.S. District Court in St. Paul with illegal gun possession and theft in connection with allegedly breaking into an FBI vehicle and stealing a rifle.

FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X that Gutierrez belongs to the Latin Kings gang and has a violent criminal history. Attorney General Pam Bondi posted on social media that Gutierrez also stole FBI body armor.

Gutierrez remains in custody ahead of a Jan. 21 hearing. Court records do not list an attorney for him.

“There is a clear, bright line between peaceful protest and lawless destruction,” read a statement from Jarrad Smith, acting special agent in charge of FBI Minneapolis. “Stealing, damaging, and destroying federal property endangers the community and jeopardizes the safe and peaceful exercise of First Amendment rights.”

According to the criminal complaint:

While FBI personnel were assisting Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers with ongoing immigration enforcement in the Twin Cities, personnel from both agencies were forced in the wake of public unrest to abandon their vehicles and property at the scene after a federal agent shot and wounded a man after the agent was allegedly attacked during an arrest attempt. A crowd of protesters grew to about 200 people.

Federal investigators viewed numerous social media posts and videos and saw in one of them a man with a distinguishable facial tattoo, later identified as Gutierrez, remove a soft rifle case containing the rifle and the suppressor from the back of the FBI vehicle. Other postings captured Gutierrez walking down the street carrying the case and placing it in the back of a car.

The following morning, investigators with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Hennepin County Violent Offender Task Force staked out Gutierrez’s home in the 1300 block of E. 23rd Street. While there, the investigators saw a tow truck load up a covered vehicle.

A masked man who matched Gutierrez’s approximate height and weight entered the passenger side of the tow truck and left.

Investigators followed the truck for several minutes. At one point, the wind lifted the cover, revealing a car like the one associated with Gutierrez in the videos from the previous night.

County task force investigators attempted to stop the tow truck, but the driver fled. Once stopped, the driver and Gutierrez ran off but were quickly apprehended.

Gutierrez’s criminal history includes convictions for illegal firing of a gun, domestic assault and burglary.

In addition, the DHS said on X, a U.S. citizen was arrested during the unrest “for assaulting officers while carrying a firearm.”

The posting said he showed up at the scene with a gun and ammunition in a bag, then he “threatened violence against law enforcement while pointing at his bag.”

He also kicked a metal smoke cannister at officers and pushed one of them, prompting his arrest, the DHS said. Once detained, the agency continued, he revealed that he had a gun and did not have with him his state-issued permit to carry a firearm in public.

Federal officials have announced no charges against this man, nor have they identified him by name.

Patel announced on Jan. 15 that his agency is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information related to the vehicle vandalism and theft of government property.

Patel pledged in the posting that “if you harm law enforcement or destroy/steal federal property this @FBI will not hesitate to pursue you, find you, and bring you to the fullest extent of justice.”

The director’s announcement included a poster that showed two agents’ vehicles vandalized and tagged with profane graffiti.

The poster said the FBI is seeking information “leading to the recovery of the stolen government property and/or the arrest of the individuals responsible for the destruction and theft of government property.”

The FBI said tips can be submitted by calling 800-225-5324 or online at tips.fbi.gov.

Another video making the rounds under the watermark “Status Coup” showed a woman holding what she said were papers from one agent’s vandalized, abandoned vehicle “with FBI operational info. It’s got full names of FBI agents, phone numbers, emails. There’s maps on where they’re staying, where they’re holding immigrants. There’s hotel names in there. There’s judge names.”

She went on to say the papers included instructions on “operational posture,” explaining to agents how they’re supposed to stand and how to handle protesters.

During the White House’s daily press briefing, press secretary Karoline Leavitt showed photos of the damaged vehicles and said, “If you look at the images out of Minneapolis last night, look at this vehicle. Look at what is says. It says F ICE.

“You have these individuals who are putting their middle finger [up] proudly ... at the camera. Another ICE vehicle was vandalized last night by these left-wing agitators. People don’t do this without encouragement from people in power who make them feel like it’s OK.”

While holding up one photo, Leavitt said it appeared the graffiti said “the best agent is a dead agent, or something to that effect.”