U.S. Minnesota Deadly Shooting Sparks Protests, Unrest
Authorities identified the deceased as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse and U.S. citizen residing in Minneapolis.
His parents said they are "heartbroken but also very angry" over his death.
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a statement indicating the fatal shooting unfolded during an enforcement operation where federal officers encountered someone they believed was armed.
"As DHS law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted operation in Minneapolis against an illegal alien wanted for violent assault, an individual approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun," said the statement.
"The officers attempted to disarm the suspect, but the armed suspect violently resisted," said the statement. "Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots."
U.S. President Donald Trump stated Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) "had to protect themselves" because of the lack of support from local police.
Local officials and media outlets reported crowds assembled near the shooting site, with mounting tensions throughout portions of the city. Federal personnel deployed crowd-control tactics—including tear gas and flash bangs—following clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz subsequently authorized activation of the Minnesota National Guard to support local law enforcement upon request from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.
Walz said he had communicated with the White House, stressing that the investigation should be led by the state.
"The state has the personnel to keep people safe -- federal agents must not obstruct our ability to do so," Walz said on X.
This incident represents the third shooting involving federal law enforcement officers in Minneapolis this month. On Jan. 7, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, Renee Good, was fatally shot by a federal ICE agent. On Jan. 14, an ICE agent shot a Venezuelan national in the leg during an attempted arrest, according to the DHS.
Demonstrations persisted in Minneapolis Saturday despite freezing temperatures, with protesters demanding justice and voicing opposition to federal enforcement operations throughout the city.
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