At least two guns, ammunition and body armor were stolen from an FBI vehicle during the mayhem in Minneapolis this week following another ICE-involved shooting, authorities said Friday.
Prosecutors announced charges against one man, Raul Gutierrez, who they said is a member of the Latin Kings gang, and whom they accused of walking off with a Colt M16A1 rifle.
They said Mr. Gutierrez was already a violent felon and now stands charged with being a felon in possession of a gun and theft of government property.
Also stolen was a Glock 17M handgun, a Huxwrx suppressor, an FBI radio, a laptop, body armor and ammunition for both guns.
Rioting broke out in Minneapolis after an ICE officer shot and wounded an illegal immigrant. Homeland Security said the migrant and two compatriots were beating the officer, who fired in defense of his life, wounding the migrant in the leg.
The city was already on edge after last week’s ICE-involved fatal shooting of Renee Good during a street altercation.
Amid the mayhem Wednesday night, FBI and DHS officers abandoned their vehicles to the crowds, who smashed their way into the cars.
It was all caught on video, and authorities said some of that video led them to identify Mr. Gutierrez, whom they said could be seen grabbing the rifle case and suppressor from the trunk of an unmarked car. He was then caught on video carrying the case down the street.
He was identified by a distinct facial tattoo, they said.
When authorities tried to nab him during a traffic stop on Thursday, he fled on foot but was captured.
In an interview, he first admitted he stole the gun but said two black males then stole it from him.
He later tried to walk back the whole story, an agent with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives said in court documents. Then in a later interview, he admitted to handling the rifle and admitted he knew he was a felon, which made his possession of it illegal.
“This arrest underscores a simple truth. We will not tolerate individuals exploiting circumstances to engage in criminal activity,” said Travis Riddle, special agent in charge of the ATF’s St. Paul Field Division.
The FBI called the smash-and-grab of its vehicle a “brazen and utterly unacceptable contempt for the sanctity of public safety and the American rule of law.”
Mr. Gutierrez’s prior convictions included discharge of a firearm, domestic assault by strangulation and burglary.
The Drug Enforcement Administration said it had Mr. Gutierrez under investigation previously and said he was “a violent criminal” with involvement in fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking.
That investigation was why federal agents were able to quickly identify Mr. Gutierrez from the video, authorities said.
• Stephen Dinan can be reached at sdinan@washingtontimes.com.
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