A verbal altercation occurred this week in Shakopee, Minnesota, between a local couple, identified as Brian and Jen Wagner, and a Somali family who were house hunting in the area. Video footage of the encounter, which circulated on social media, appears to capture Brian Wagner telling the family, "Nobody wants you here. Not a single person here wants you." He also allegedly made a comment about their money, stating, "Where’d you get your money for the house? All you do is steal."
The Somali family stated they were accosted without provocation. A woman filming the incident can be heard responding to the Wagners, "Worry about your own money. You're sad as f***."
Following the backlash from the viral video, the Wagners, through their attorney, issued a statement asserting that the footage was taken out of context and that they are not racist. The law firm representing the couple claimed the video was being "is being weaponized" to "create a false narrative to negatively characterize the Wagner family as 'racist.'" They described the video as "incomplete" and stated it was being used to initiate "a cyberbullying campaign against an honest, patriotic, kind, and hard-working family." The attorneys also mentioned they are exploring legal actions against those involved and have contacted law enforcement, including the Department of Justice, regarding potential criminal charges.
The family's attorney, however, refuted the Wagners' claims, stating that the video lacks critical context and does not include racial slurs allegedly directed at Mr. Wagner. This attorney accused the person filming of "playing the victim" and "capitalizing on political tensions."
The incident drew swift condemnation from local politicians. State Representative Brad Tabke defended the Somali family, stating, "I don’t get why this guy would go out of his way to harass people for simply being Somali." He added that the incident does not represent Shakopee, which he described as a diverse town of "good, hardworking Minnesotans." Congresswoman Angie Craig suggested the encounter was a "direct result of the Trump Administration's hateful rhetoric against the Somali community" and affirmed that "folks of all backgrounds are welcome here."