Fact check: Did Minnesota authorities use LRAD sound weapon on anti-ICE protesters?

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: The anti-ICE protests across Minnesota escalated following the killing of two individuals - Renee Nicole Good, 37, and Alex Pretti, 37 - in January 2026. The recent death took place on January 24 when Pretti was shot dead by a federal agent.

Amid this, a rumor circulated online claiming that Minnesota authorities used a Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) sound weapon on anti-ICE protesters. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.

Claim: Minnesota authorities used LRAD on anti-ICE protesters

A Bluesky user took to the social media platform and posted, "What the hell? Is this really the Minnesota State Police testing LRAD on protestors? LRAD is a long-range acoustic device. Sound as a weapon. Testing weapons on civilians is a war crime. If this is legit, it means weapons of war against US citizens." 

Similarly, several other social media users shared the claim on Facebook and Reddit, and implied that authorities exposed protesters to inhumane sound levels. 

A Facebook user wrote, "The tactical environment in Minnesota has reached a new level of enforcement. Minnesota State Police were captured on video testing and deploying the Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) to disperse crowds of radical agitators who have been attempting to paralyze federal operations." 

Moreover, CBS News published a story on Tuesday, January 27, where a retired Marine colonel reportedly said, "The LRAD is like a loudspeaker, but it focuses the sound in a narrow cone, so that if you're inside the cone, it's extremely loud."

Fact Check: True, Minnesota State Patrol confirmed using LRAD

The claims made in the online rumors are true, as the Minnesota State Patrol confirmed it used an LRAD at a standoff with protesters in Maple Grove on Monday, January 26.

The Minnesota State Patrol and local police in Maple Grove, a Minneapolis suburb, informed Snopes that the device was used to announce dispersal orders and did not inflict any bodily harm as a sonic weapon.

They claimed it did not use the device in a 'deterrent setting', meaning it was used only to make announcements regarding the unlawful assembly. 

An LRAD is a specialized tool that emits high-frequency sound waves. It is capable of causing distress to the human body, including nausea, dizziness, and even organ damage, including permanent hearing loss in extreme cases.

Meanwhile, certain social media users showed confusion if Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the National Guard, or local police had deployed the LRAD. 

Maple Grove Police confirmed via email to the outlet that DHS and ICE were not involved in the planning or response to the protest. The Minnesota National Guard also confirmed via an emailed statement that it was not part of any activity near that location on January 26.

The crowd was gathered outside a hotel in Maple Grove, where protesters claimed Gregory Bovino — then the 'commander' of the crackdown in Minnesota — was staying.