MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, by a U.S. Border Patrol agent sparked immediate outrage in Minneapolis, leading to protests demanding the withdrawal of federal immigration officers from the city.
Early reports reveal that federal agents were conducting a law enforcement operation when Pretti was shot. His family asserts he was unarmed, holding only a phone at the time of the incident, which has further inflamed the demonstrations against federal immigration actions in Minnesota.
The incident adds to a growing list of tensions surrounding U.S. immigration enforcement, particularly following another shooting of a local man by ICE agents earlier this month, heightening the emotional stakes for residents and activists alike.
Protesters faced off with federal officers armed with batons while Minnesota's National Guard has been deployed to assist local police in managing the escalating situation. Calls for solidarity across the nation resonated as demonstrations spread to cities including New York and Los Angeles.
The Minnesota police chief urged both public calm and restraint from federal agents during the protests, while state officials expressed doubts about the federal agencies' actions in the city. Governor Tim Walz and legislative leaders debated funding for federal immigration enforcement amid rising community tensions.
Pretti's family labeled the portrayal of him as harmful and misleading, stating he was trying to aid others during the arrest attempt. The local community rallied around calls for justice, demonstrating memorials for both Pretti and earlier victims of federal enforcement actions.
