MINNEAPOLIS (OnPoint) — This week, a Minneapolis couple found themselves in a horrifying situation after they unwittingly drove into a volatile protest scene. The Jackson family, while returning home from a basketball game, encountered federal immigration officers who deployed tear gas, filling their SUV with noxious fumes and resulting in a trip to the hospital for several family members, including a six-month-old infant.
The family's ordeal illustrates the dangerous overlaps between public protests and law enforcement actions in the Twin Cities, particularly during this ongoing immigration crackdown. Destiny Jackson, 26, shared details of the traumatic event, highlighting how they stopped to understand the situation when they found a street blocked off—believing it to be peaceful at the time.
After trying to convince her mother to leave the area, Jackson watched as tensions escalated around them. The streets became filled with protesters and the sounds of flash-bang grenades echoed nearby. While attempting to safely exit, the family was confronted by federal officers who instructed them to leave. However, as they tried to maneuver past the officers, one rolled a tear gas canister under their vehicle.
Jackson described the moment as frightening; she heard a loud boom as the canister went off, leading to the deployment of the car’s airbags and causing panic among the children. My kids were crying and screaming that they couldn’t breathe... My 6-month-old son wasn’t moving, she said, recalling how she urgently unlocked the doors to help her family escape the suffocating gas.
Emergency responders quickly arrived on the scene, tending to reports of respiratory distress, particularly for the infant who was later transported to the hospital in serious condition. Jackson and several of her children eventually received medical attention for their exposure to the gas.
A spokeswoman for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security stated that the officers were responding to acts of what they characterized as “rioters and agitators,” clarifying that the Jackson family was not specifically targeted. Since sharing their experience on social media, the family has faced both supportive and threatening responses, with Jackson expressing the difficulties of facing backlash while still in shock over the event.
I was just trying to get her to go home. I’ve only seen these things on TV, she remarked, reflecting on the surreal nature of their situation. As investigations continue, the couple is left contemplating the safety of their family amid escalating tensions in their city.
