A Minneapolis immigration officer has been charged with assault, marking a rare instance in which the state government has filed a lawsuit against an officer for actions taken while on duty. This case is drawing attention due to its implications for law enforcement accountability, particularly in relation to the use of force during immigration enforcement. While officers are typically shielded from lawsuits in the course of their duties, this case raises important questions about the boundaries of law enforcement conduct and the mechanisms for holding officers accountable for their actions.

A suspect has been charged after stealing a man’s car, dragging him down the street and fatally running him over in Minneapolis.

Gerald Nicolas Cepeda, 34, is facing one count of second-degree murder.

On Saturday, Minneapolis police responded to 18th Street and Chicago Avenue for a report of a man who was dragged by a car and was lying in the street.

Minneapolis police investigating fatal hit-and-run, no arrests made

Authorities found the man and provided life-saving measures, but he later died at the hospital.

According to court documents, surveillance video showed the man arriving in his white van in the area of Chicago and Franklin avenues while Cepeda was near the bus stop.

The man got out of his vehicle to talk to people on the sidewalk, which is when Cepeda ran over and jumped into the driver’s seat, the criminal complaint notes.

Court records say the man then ran back to his car and stopped Cepeda from shutting the door, but Cepeda drove away while the man was hanging onto the open door.

Cepeda drove for about two blocks, dragging the man’s body along, before quickly turning onto East 18th Street, causing the man to fall from the vehicle and be run over by the van.

Officers found the van a few blocks away with the keys still in the ignition, according to court documents.

The complaint states that witnesses on scene reported Cepeda and the man had a brief argument before Cepeda stole the car.

Cepeda was arrested on Tuesday and told authorities that he was “just playing a joke” and was going to bring the man’s vehicle back. He added that he did not know the man was killed as a result, court records note.

Court documents show that Cepeda had prior convictions for vehicle theft in 2024 and 2025.

His first court appearance is scheduled for Thursday.

When Jarren Duran flipped up the middle finger on his left hand in the direction of fans at Target Field on Tuesday night, he was responding to someone who allegedly told him to kill himself.

In the fifth inning, and the Twins leading the Red Sox 5-0, the Boston outfielder grounded out to second base. As he jogged back towards the dugout, the television cameras caught him using his middle finger to allegedly respond to the fan.

“Somebody told me to kill myself,” Duran explained. “I’m used to it at this point. S*** happens. I’m going to flip somebody off if they say something to me. It is what it is. I shouldn’t react like that, but that stuff is still kind of triggering. It happens.”

The motive behind the fan’s alleged verbal abuse is unknown, but Duran has been public about his past mental health struggles, including battling depression and contemplating suicide. In April 2025, Netflix released “The Clubhouse: A Year With the Red Sox,” and the fourth episode of the series, titled “Still Alive,” focused on Duran and his mental health journey.

A few weeks after the series was released, a fan in Cleveland was ejected after saying “something inappropriate” to Duran.

“When you open yourself up like that, you also open yourself up to the enemies. But I have a good support staff around me, teammates, coaches. There were fans that were supporting me, so that was awesome,” Duran said after the Cleveland incident.

After the Twins beat the Red Sox 6-0 on Tuesday night, the Twins’ submitted a victory post on social media with the tease, “Kept it classy.”

Duran, 29, was suspended by Major League Baseball for two games in 2024 forshouting a homophobic slur at a fan. That fan was accused of criticizing Duran’s batting. Duran wound up donating the amount he would’ve been paid in the two games to Greater PFLAG Boston, an organization that advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer people.

“I feel awful knowing how many people I offended and disappointed,” Durran said after the 2024 incident. He admitted that what he said was “horrific,” and acknowledged that “young fans are supposed to be able to look up to me as a role model.”

If you or someone you know is struggling with thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or reach the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-TALK (8255). You can also text MN to 741741.