Federal agents in the United States have shot another US citizen dead in Minneapolis amid a months-long crackdown on immigration enforcement. The 37-year-old man, identified as Alex Pretti, was a lawful gun owner with no criminal record, according to the city's police chief, who said Pretti died after being shot multiple times by federal agents.
The incident has sparked widespread protests and calls for President Donald Trump to pull heavily armed officers out of Minneapolis immediately. The city's mayor, Jacob Frey, denounced the Trump administration for its continued crackdown, saying it was a campaign of "organised brutality against the people of our state".
Pretti's family released a statement saying he was a kind-hearted soul who wanted to make a difference in the world through his work as an intensive care unit nurse. They accused the administration of lying about the circumstances surrounding his death, saying Pretti had his phone in his hand and not a gun when attacked by federal agents.
Video footage appears to show that Pretti was filming protests when he was confronted by federal agents who pepper sprayed him. The situation escalated as multiple shots were fired at Pretti, with bystander videos showing the man holding a phone and raising his arms to shield himself.
The incident has further ignited tensions in Minneapolis, which has already experienced widespread daily protests since the January 7 shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good, who was killed when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fired into her vehicle. Several local and state leaders have called on Trump to end the federal deployment, with US Senator Amy Klobuchar saying "Get ICE out of our state NOW".
The Department of Homeland Security said a US Border Patrol agent shot dead Pretti after he violently resisted attempts to be disarmed. However, witnesses to the shooting filed sworn statements saying that Pretti did not brandish a gun during the incident.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has pledged that his state will handle the investigation into the killing, and called for calm among residents. Al Jazeera's reporting from Washington, DC says that the fight between Trump and federal authorities is "very much a head-to-head" in Minneapolis, which has been experiencing high levels of tension since mass protests broke out after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020.
Calls are growing for President Trump to take action to de-escalate the situation, with some leaders calling for a clear investigation into the shooting and others urging calm among residents. As tensions continue to simmer in Minneapolis, it remains to be seen how the federal authorities will respond to the mounting pressure.
The incident has sparked widespread protests and calls for President Donald Trump to pull heavily armed officers out of Minneapolis immediately. The city's mayor, Jacob Frey, denounced the Trump administration for its continued crackdown, saying it was a campaign of "organised brutality against the people of our state".
Pretti's family released a statement saying he was a kind-hearted soul who wanted to make a difference in the world through his work as an intensive care unit nurse. They accused the administration of lying about the circumstances surrounding his death, saying Pretti had his phone in his hand and not a gun when attacked by federal agents.
Video footage appears to show that Pretti was filming protests when he was confronted by federal agents who pepper sprayed him. The situation escalated as multiple shots were fired at Pretti, with bystander videos showing the man holding a phone and raising his arms to shield himself.
The incident has further ignited tensions in Minneapolis, which has already experienced widespread daily protests since the January 7 shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good, who was killed when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fired into her vehicle. Several local and state leaders have called on Trump to end the federal deployment, with US Senator Amy Klobuchar saying "Get ICE out of our state NOW".
The Department of Homeland Security said a US Border Patrol agent shot dead Pretti after he violently resisted attempts to be disarmed. However, witnesses to the shooting filed sworn statements saying that Pretti did not brandish a gun during the incident.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has pledged that his state will handle the investigation into the killing, and called for calm among residents. Al Jazeera's reporting from Washington, DC says that the fight between Trump and federal authorities is "very much a head-to-head" in Minneapolis, which has been experiencing high levels of tension since mass protests broke out after the police killing of George Floyd in 2020.
Calls are growing for President Trump to take action to de-escalate the situation, with some leaders calling for a clear investigation into the shooting and others urging calm among residents. As tensions continue to simmer in Minneapolis, it remains to be seen how the federal authorities will respond to the mounting pressure.
this is getting crazy 
... another innocent life lost to what feels like a total overreach of authority 
. I mean can't they see that all this drama just makes us look bad on the world stage? 
The fact that Pretti was filming protests and not even carrying a gun at the time it happened is pretty damning proof that something went terribly wrong here 
. It's like the Trump administration is trying to create more enemies with their aggressive tactics 
. I'm all for keeping our borders secure, but not at the cost of human life and dignity 
. This city needs some serious calm right now 
.
another innocent person lost cuz of trump's immigration policies 
and what does he get? multiple gunshots from fed agents 
it's just not right. i feel for the ppl of minneapolis who are already dealing with the aftermath of george floyd's passing 
we need more calm and less violence 
And those federal agents are just getting more aggressive by the day... I'm calling for calm, but also for some serious action from the authorities to figure out what really went down here. Let's get some answers and end this cycle of violence 
! Can't believe another innocent person lost their life because of government "enforcement". Alex Pretti was just a regular guy trying to make a difference as an ICU nurse 
. I mean, what's next? Are we gonna start arresting people for exercising their right to free speech? 
.
. His administration is creating a culture of fear and intimidation, and it's affecting innocent lives 
️. I'm glad Minnesota Governor Tim Walz is taking the lead on this investigation 
.
. We need to hold our leaders accountable for their actions 
. and the mayor is right, this is all just a huge campaign of brutality against ppl who are speaking out against these racist policies 
. we need to keep protesting until our voices are heard and our leaders take action 
. Trump's ICE agents are causing more harm than good, it's like they're playing with people's lives. We need calm and respect for human rights, not this police brutality 
! Alex Pretti was a nurse, for crying out loud! 
. The fact that his family says he wasn't carrying a gun when he got shot just makes it worse 
. Can we please just have some peace and quiet in Minneapolis? 
This is getting out of hand 
the fact that Pretti was filming protests just adds to the whole "he was just minding his own business" vibe. and can we talk about how convenient it is for ICE/Border Patrol to say he violently resisted disarming them, meanwhile witnesses are saying he didn't even have a gun on him 
]
. Can't believe those federal agents just shot him dead 
. And now the whole city is all upset again 
?! President Trump needs to do something about this ASAP 
. This is getting outta hand... 
I'm so frustrated with this whole thing... Can't believe they're killing innocent people like that!