Breaking Alaska-based Army paratroopers placed on standby amid Minnesota violent riots

By SUZANNE DOWNING

Two battalions of Alaska-based Army paratroopers have been placed on alert as a potential quick reaction force amid escalating unrest in Minnesota, according to reporting by ABC News and other national outlets.

The troops—about 1,500 active-duty soldiers from the 11th Airborne Division—are based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, underscoring Alaska’s role in national rapid-response planning even as events unfold thousands of miles away.

According to two anonymous defense officials cited by ABC News, the soldiers were recalled to base on Friday, Jan. 16, during a long holiday weekend and placed on standby status. An internal notice reviewed by ABC News indicated the move was precautionary.

“This doesn’t mean they will deploy; we are preparing options,” one official told the network. The Pentagon characterized the step as “prudent” contingency planning for active-duty forces.

The standby order is tied to violent unrest in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of anti-ICE activist Renee Good, reportedly by an ICE agent during immigration enforcement operations referred to as “Operation Metro Surge.” Good had run her vehicle into the agent before he opened fire. Protests have intensified amid broader tensions over federal immigration crackdowns, and a second shooting incident has also been reported. There have been videos on X of protesters engaged in hand-to-hand combat with law enforcement officers and at least one video of a protester carrying a rifle.

President Donald Trump has publicly threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act but later said there was “no reason right now” to do so.

As of this weekend, the Alaska-based troops remain at their home bases and have not been deployed to Minnesota or placed on city streets.

The Minnesota National Guard was belatedly mobilized under state authority by Gov. Tim Walz to support law enforcement, with a stated focus on protecting life and property while respecting peaceful assembly. Guard units, however, also have not been deployed into active street operations but have been seen in urban Minneapolis.

The reporting, first surfaced by ABC News and echoed by multiple mainstream outlets, relies on unnamed officials, not uncommon in sensitive military leaks. No official Pentagon or White House statements have contradicted the accounts, and there is no indication the reports are fabricated.