Minnesota prosecutors have charged an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent with assault.
ICE agent Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr. was charged with two counts of second-degree assault and a warrant has been issued for his arrest, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said at a news conference on April 16.
It is the first charge brought against federal officers involved with Operation Metro Surge, President Donald Trump’s operation against illegal immigration in the Minneapolis region.
Second-degree assault with a gun carries a maximum prison sentence of seven years but has a presumptive sentence of three years behind bars.
Morgan was driving a rented, unmarked vehicle along Highway 62 in the Minneapolis area on Feb. 5, illegally on the shoulder in an apparent attempt to bypass slower traffic, according to charging documents.
A person driving a different vehicle moved onto the shoulder to try to slow Morgan down. After that person shifted the vehicle back into a legal lane, Morgan allegedly pulled alongside the vehicle, matched its pace, opened his window, and pointed a gun at the driver and a passenger.
Morgan told investigators that he and his partner were headed to the federal building in Fort Snelling in Hennepin County to end their shift when the other vehicle cut him off, causing him to fear for his safety, according to charging papers. Morgan said that he shouted, “Police, stop,” and brandished his weapon in an attempt to get the other driver to “back up.”
When the road narrowed and the shoulder ended, Morgan pulled in front of the other person’s vehicle before proceeding to the federal building.
Morgan’s supervisor told investigators that neither Morgan nor his partner reported the incident.
Minnesota State Patrol gathered video footage from highway cameras that were consistent with complaints from the driver and passenger, as well as with Morgan’s comments, according to Moriarty, who called the ICE agent’s alleged actions “extremely dangerous.”
“Today’s charges reflect an important milestone in our efforts to seek accountability for the harms inflicted on our community during Operation Metro Surge,” Moriarty said.
The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Morgan, 35, could not be reached for comment.
Hennepin County prosecutors are still investigating the shootings of several people that took place earlier this year, Moriarty said. Authorities have faced problems obtaining evidence as they investigate, she said.
This article was originally published by The Epoch Times.
