By Shawn Henry 
Federal prosecutors have charged a Minneapolis man after an assault rifle and other law enforcement equipment were stolen from an FBI vehicle during unrest following a nonfatal shooting involving immigration officers.
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The incident unfolded against the backdrop of heightened tension in Minneapolis after the Jan. 7 death of Renee Nicole Good, who was killed by an ICE agent. One week later, on Jan. 14, ICE agents conducted what authorities described as a targeted traffic stop to arrest a Venezuelan national. During the arrest, investigators say the suspect violently assaulted the officers, prompting two bystanders to join in using a snow shovel and a broom handle. An ICE agent shot the suspect in the leg, and the individual was taken to a nearby hospital.
The shooting triggered unrest in the surrounding neighborhood, with protests escalating into chaotic scenes. Amid the disorder, FBI agents retreated from the area, leaving behind at least one bureau vehicle.
According to authorities, suspects forced open a standard law enforcement gun vault located in the trunk of the FBI vehicle. Items stolen included a laptop, a Glock handgun, pistol ammunition, body armor, a handheld radio, and a rifle bag. Inside the rifle bag was a Colt M16 rifle equipped with a suppressor.
Surveillance footage captured one suspect removing the rifle bag from the vehicle. The individual was later identified as Raul Gutierrez, 33, of Minneapolis, based in part on a distinctive face tattoo. Investigators say Gutierrez later admitted to taking the rifle bag but claimed it was immediately taken from him by two unidentified men.
Gutierrez has a criminal history that includes felony convictions for domestic assault by strangulation, burglary, and reckless discharge of a firearm. As a convicted felon, he is legally barred from possessing firearms. Additionally, civilians are prohibited from purchasing newly manufactured M16 rifles.
Federal prosecutors allege that Gutierrez attempted to minimize his awareness of the weapon during questioning by claiming he did not know what the case contained. He now faces federal charges related to the theft and possession of the firearm.
Authorities have not disclosed who specifically breached the gun vault or how it was opened. The FBI is offering a reward of up to $100,000 for information leading to further arrests connected to the theft.
All parties are innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.
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