Protests have gripped Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of a US citizen by federal immigration agents on Saturday.
The incident is the second in a month amid US President Donald Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown, prompting Governor Tim Walz to activate the National Guard.
Minneapolis Protests
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets after a federal shooting incident killed a US citizen on Saturday, prompting armed and masked agents to deploy tear gas and flashbang grenades.
The protests stretched to other US cities, such as New York, Washington D.C. and San Francisco, where demonstrators gathered in solidarity against intensifying crackdown.
The incident came one day after more than 10,000 people took to the streets to protest the administration’s anti-immigrant crackdown, reported Reuters.
Several incidents have taken place in Minneapolis in recent weeks, including the shooting of US citizen Renée Good in her car on January 7, the detention of another US citizen from his home, and the detention of school children, including a 5-year-old boy.
Shooting Incident
Federal agents shot dead ICU nurse Alex Pretti on Saturday morning in south Minneapolis after a scuffle between the man and Border Patrol agents.
According to the Border Patrol commander, Greg Bovino, agents were conducting a “targeted” immigration enforcement operation when Pretti approached agents with a “9mm semi-automatic” handgun.
Agents tried to disarm him but he showed violent resistance, prompting a Border Patrol officer to fire “defensive shots,” Bovino added, according to AFP.
Videos circulating in US media show Pretti filming agents with his phone and directing traffic. When an agent tried to shove a woman to the ground, Pretti stepped in to protect her. Then, the agent sprayed his face with a chemical irritant, pulled him to the ground and several officers tried to detain him.
Moments later, videos showed an officer pulling a handgun from Pretti’s clothing. Then, agents opened fire, striking Pretti multiple times from a distance.
Inciting Violence
Following the shooting, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) shared a photo of a pistol claiming it belonged to Pretti, adding that he had two magazines of ammunitions and no ID.
The Homeland Security Secretary, Kristi Noem, later accused Pretti of intending to “perpetuate violence.” “I don’t know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign,” she said.
Meanwhile, the White House deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, called him an “assassin” who wanted to murder federal agents.
Furthermore, Trump shared the pistol’s photo, claiming that the local police failed to protect ICE officers and accusing the governor and mayor of inciting unrest. “The Mayor and the Governor are inciting Insurrection, with their pompous, dangerous, and arrogant rhetoric!” he said.
“LET OUR ICE PATRIOTS DO THEIR JOB! 12,000 Illegal Alien Criminals, many of them violent, have been arrested and taken out of Minnesota. If they were still there, you would see something far worse than you are witnessing today!” he posted on Truth Social.
Challenging Account
On the contrary, eyewitnesses, local officials and Pretti’s family dismissed these claims, saying that the victim had a phone in his hand, not a weapon. In a statement, Pretti’s parents accused the Trump administration of telling “sickening lies” about their son.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz described the shooting as “horrific,” demanding local investigations. “The federal government cannot be trusted to lead this investigation. The state will handle it, period,” he said.
Moreover, the Minneapolis Police Chief, Brian O’Hara, told a press conference that Pretti was a lawful gun owner with no criminal record other than traffic violations.
