Minneapolis ICE shooting updates: Protests remain peaceful despite arrests: Officials

Gov. Tim Walz has authorized the Minnesota National Guard to be "staged and ready to support" law enforcement if needed, his office said Thursday, noting the order is out of an "abundance of caution."

The executive order provides the ability for the National Guard to assist local law enforcement with protecting critical infrastructure and maintaining public safety, his office said, as protests continue in Minneapolis following the fatal ICE shooting.

"Minnesotans have met this moment. Thousands of people have peacefully made their voices heard. Minnesota: thank you. We saw powerful peace. We have every reason to believe that peace will hold," Walz said in a statement. "Yesterday, I directed the National Guard to be ready should they be needed. They remain ready in the event they are needed to help keep the peace, ensure public safety, and allow for peaceful demonstrations."

The attorney for Hennepin County, which is home to Minneapolis, said Thursday that her office is looking into "paths forward" to review the investigation into the shooting.

"After the FBI rescinded its cooperation agreement with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, our office immediately began exploring all options to ensure a state level investigation can continue," the attorney, Mary Moriarty, said in a statement. "If the FBI is the sole investigative agency, the State will not receive the investigative findings, and our community may never learn about its contents. We are speaking to our local partners on paths forward that will allow us to review the investigation and be transparent in our decision making."

When reached for comment on the investigation Thursday, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche told ABC News in a statement that "standard protocols ensure that evidence is collected and preserved" following an officer-involved shooting.

Vice President JD Vance defended the actions of the ICE officer who shot and killed a woman in Minneapolis, expressing visible frustration at what he said is a characterization of the agent as a "federal assassin," in remarks during a White House press briefing.

He called the woman's actions an "attack on federal law enforcement" and an "attack on the American people," asserting that "she was trying to ram this guy with her car."

"He shot back. He defended himself," Vance said of the ICE officer.

"The reason this woman is dead, is because she tried to ram somebody with her car, and that guy acted in self-defense," Vance said. "That is why she lost her life, and that is the tragedy."

At the same time, Vance said that it's up for debate what was going through the mind of the 37-year-old driver at the time.

"Look, if people want to say that we should have a legitimate debate about, you know, what was she really doing? Right? Was she panicking when she drove into this officer, or was she actually trying to ram him? That's a reasonable conversation," he said.

"I don't know what is in a person's heart or in a person's head, and obviously, we're not going to get the chance to ask this woman what was going on. What I am certain of is that she violated the law," he said.

Vance also claimed, without providing evidence, that the shooting victim was part of a "left-wing network" targeting ICE officers.

When asked by ABC News' Rachel Scott who is behind that alleged network, he said, "It's one of the things we're gonna have to figure out.

Attorney General Pam Bondi issued a warning to those protesting in Minneapolis -- don't cross a "red line" by committing violence.

"Peacefully protesting is a sacred American right protected by the First Amendment. Obstructing, impeding, or attacking federal law enforcement is a federal crime. So is damaging federal property," she wrote on X. "If you cross that red line, you will be arrested and prosecuted. Do not test our resolve."

Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday commended protesters for demonstrating peacefully during a vigil for the shooting victim last night.

"What we saw was a beautiful vigil to a life that we're starting to learn more about," he said.