Did two women bite tooth agents, fingers, one tip off or not?

Checked on January 30, 2026
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Executive summary

Multiple news organizations report that two women have been federally charged for allegedly biting the fingers of federal agents during unrest after the Jan. 2026 Minneapolis shooting, and court documents and agency statements allege that one agent’s fingertip was bitten off; those claims currently rest on criminal complaints, agency releases and images posted by DHS, not on final courtroom findings [1] [2] [3] [4].

1. What the reporting actually alleges: two women charged for separate bites

Local and national outlets uniformly state that two separate incidents are the subject of federal criminal complaints: Claire Louise Feng is accused of tackling and then biting a Border Patrol agent’s right ring finger, and another woman, identified in reporting as Baierl, is accused of biting an agent’s gloved middle finger while officers attempted to secure her, with both charged with assault of a federal officer [1] [3] [2].

2. The specific claim that a fingertip was bitten off — where that comes from

The most dramatic charge — that the tip of an agent’s finger was bitten off — appears in the affidavits and in agency statements cited by multiple outlets: KARE11’s reporting describes the affidavit saying an agent “removed his glove and noticed the tip of his right ring finger had been bitten off … leaving his bone exposed” and that the fingertip was located inside the glove; CBS Minnesota and other outlets repeat that court documents say the tip was bitten off and the agent received medical attention [3] [5] [1].

3. Evidence presented so far and DHS amplification

Reporting notes the existence of an affidavit and photographs included with it showing apparent bite marks (KARE11), and the Department of Homeland Security’s assistant secretary shared graphic images on social media and said an agent “will lose the finger,” amplifying the allegation; those DHS posts and images are referenced in multiple outlets [3] [4] [6]. News pieces also quote the criminal complaints as the source for the sequence of events leading to each alleged bite [1] [2].

4. Legal status, evidentiary limits and how to read these claims

All outlets describe these incidents as allegations in federal charging documents—criminal complaints and affidavits—not as adjudicated facts; the reports do not cite a conviction or trial finding, and available reporting does not include independent medical reports or third‑party forensic confirmation beyond law‑enforcement statements and affidavit photos, so the public record at this time supports that charges and agency claims exist but does not prove guilt beyond the charging documents themselves [2] [3].

5. Context, competing narratives and possible agendas

Coverage has been driven by both local court filings and rapid DHS public messaging; outlets note DHS officials posted photos and strong statements, which can serve an evidence function but also shape public perception and political framing during a volatile protest environment, meaning readers should weigh the agency’s motives for immediate disclosure alongside the formal investigative process cited in news reports [4] [6] [7]. Alternative viewpoints — including defense attorneys’ perspectives or independent medical verification — are not present in the reporting provided, so the possibility of contested facts at trial remains open [2].

Conclusion: direct answer

Based on the reporting and the cited federal complaints, two women have been charged with biting federal agents’ fingers, and federal charging documents and DHS statements allege that in one incident the tip of an agent’s finger was bitten off; those are allegations contained in affidavits and agency releases, not court findings of guilt, and independent corroboration beyond the complaints and posted images does not appear in the available reporting [1] [3] [4] [5].

Want to dive deeper?
What do the federal charging documents and affidavits in the Minneapolis cases actually say, and can they be obtained publicly?
How have DHS and other federal agencies used social media to publicize evidence in law enforcement incidents, and what oversight governs such disclosures?
What precedent exists for bite‑off fingertip allegations in protest settings, and how have courts treated forensic bite evidence?