A Minneapolis couple says their six children were trapped in a tear gas-filled car after ICE officers released a canister under their vehicle during a chaotic protest encounter. The youngest, a 6-month-old baby, had to be revived by his mother using CPR.
Shawn and Destiny Jackson were just trying to get home after basketball practice with their kids — aged 11, 7, 4-year-old twins, a 2-year-old, and a 6-month-old baby. But what should’ve been a normal drive turned into a nightmare.
As they passed through an area where protesters and ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) agents had clashed, they were told to leave. According to Destiny, ICE agents shouted at them to move, but the family couldn’t drive away without hitting officers or protesters blocking the road.
“They stopped at my car and proceeded to yell… And my husband screamed, ‘We’re trying,’” Destiny told CBS Minnesota. Moments later, she says ICE agents walked to the back of their vehicle — and then everything changed.
Tear gas explodes under family car
Destiny says a tear gas canister exploded underneath their SUV, shaking the entire vehicle and setting off the airbags. The doors locked, trapping the entire family as gas filled the car.
“There was a big boom… Tear gas just started forming, a ball of gas just started forming around the car,” Destiny recalled.
In a panic, Destiny managed to unlock the doors and pull out her children one by one. Nearby bystanders rushed to help.
“The last person to get out was my infant child,” she said tearfully. “When he came in, he was lifeless… foam or bubbles coming out of his mouth. I had to give him mouth-to-mouth and CPR.”
We were just trying to get home
The Jacksons say they had no involvement in the protest and were simply caught in the wrong place at the wrong time.
Shawn, who has a long history of positive interactions with law enforcement as a high school athlete, says he’s now heartbroken.
“It was like they didn’t have a care in the world for us,” he said. Destiny added, “The windows were down. You could see my kids in the car.”
Though all six children are physically safe now, the family says they’re struggling emotionally. The kids aren’t sleeping, and their vehicle was severely damaged. A fundraiser has been launched to help cover medical costs and replace the car.
DHS defends ICE actions
In response, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a statement denying the family was targeted. Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said law enforcement “reasonably deployed crowd control measures” and blamed “rioters and agitators” for the chaos.
Still, the Jacksons say they were treated like threats instead of a family trying to go home.
This shocking event has left a scar on the Jackson family — one that may take a long time to heal. For Destiny, the moment her baby stopped breathing was life-changing. “I’m going to give you every breath I have until you get yours back,” she remembered telling him.
Their story is now raising serious questions about how crowd control tactics are used, especially when children are nearby.