Donald Trump defends ICE agent who fatally shot woman leading to nationwide protests

He claimed the officer was acting in self-defence

The incident happened yesterday afternoon in Minneapolis with a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security saying that a "violent rioter weaponized her vehicle" and allegedly attempted to run over an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer.

An ICE agent "fired defensive shots", the department added.

The woman was later confirmed to be US citizen 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good.

Local authorities have disputed claims from Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem who described the incident as "domestic terrorism".

Videos from the incident started circulating online shortly after which shows Good trying to drive away after being told to exit her car.

As Good attempts to continue driving an officer fires a shot through the front of the windscreen.

The video seems to put into doubt suggestions that Good was a "violent rioter weaponizing her vehicle" that had caused the agent to act in "self-defence".

Other videos claim what appears to be a doctor being prevented from treating Good by ICE agents.

Donald Trump released a statement following the incident which read: "I have just viewed the clip of the event which took place in Minneapolis, Minnesota. It is a horrible thing to watch.

"The woman screaming was, obviously, a professional agitator, and the woman driving the car was very disorderly, obstructing and resisting, who then violently, willfully, and viciously ran over the ICE Officer, who seems to have shot her in self-defence.

"Based on the attached clip, it is hard to believe he is alive, but is now recovering in the hospital. The situation is being studied, in its entirety, but the reason these incidents are happening is because the Radical Left is threatening, assaulting, and targeting our Law Enforcement Officers and ICE Agents on a daily basis.

"They are just trying to do the job of MAKING AMERICA SAFE. We need to stand by and protect our Law Enforcement Officers from this Radical Left Movement of Violence and Hate!"

Protests erupted across the country including Minneapolis, New York and Boston against ICE.