Gregory Morgan Jr., an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, has turned himself in to Minnesota authorities after being charged with two counts of second-degree assault with a dangerous weapon. The charges stem from an incident on February 5, when Morgan allegedly brandished a firearm at motorists after a road altercation. Morgan's attorney, Ryan Pacyga, claims the complaint contains "inaccurate and incomplete information" and that Morgan did not initiate the encounter.
Morgan's case is the first of its kind against a federal immigration officer deployed to Minneapolis during a surge of 3,000 federal agents to assist in arresting illegal immigrants in the sanctuary city. Separately, another ICE officer, Christian Castro, was charged in connection with a nonfatal shooting of a Venezuelan man in January. Castro faces four counts of second-degree assault and one misdemeanor count of falsely reporting a crime. The charges against Castro follow allegations that he fired his service weapon through a home's front door, wounding the man inside. Video evidence contradicted Castro's claim that he and another officer were attacked with a shovel and broom.
The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office announced the charges against Morgan in April, stating that he was driving back to the Whipple Federal Building at the end of his shift when another driver cut him off. The complaint alleges that Morgan then drove his unmarked SUV on the highway shoulder and pointed his firearm at motorists in another vehicle. Morgan's attorney disputes these claims, asserting that the encounter was not initiated by his client.