Minneapolis experienced its second fatal shooting by federal law enforcement officers in less than three weeks on a Saturday morning. This incident followed the January 7th killing of Renee Good, a 37-year-old American citizen, by a federal immigration officer. The latest victim, identified as Alex Pretti, also 37 and an American citizen, was a registered nurse working in the intensive care unit at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System.

The shooting involving federal law enforcement occurred near West 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue South. Online videos circulating, which matched the reported location, showed a man, later identified as Pretti, being wrestled to the ground by multiple officers before appearing to be shot several times. At least two officers were seen with weapons drawn. Open-source experts, including Eliot Higgins from Bellingcat, began analyzing the footage, noting the sound of an initial shot and suggesting Pretti might have been disarmed before a volley of shots was fired while he was on the ground.

Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin issued a statement asserting the shooting took place during a targeted operation against an individual believed to be in the country illegally and wanted for assault. McLaughlin claimed the individual approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, resisted attempts to disarm him, and that an agent fired defensive shots, fearing for his and his colleagues' lives. She also noted the man had “2 magazines and no ID” and that more details on the “armed struggle” were forthcoming. This was corroborated by a government source providing the Guardian with a photo of a handgun and loaded magazine, stating, “Suspect had a firearm with two magazines.”

However, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara contradicted several federal claims. O’Hara stated that Pretti was a Minneapolis resident, an American citizen, and a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry, whose only known interaction with law enforcement had been for traffic tickets. Minnesota law permits citizens to carry handguns publicly without concealment. O’Hara strongly urged federal agencies to operate with “the same discipline, humanity and integrity that effective law enforcement demands,” while asking the public to remain peaceful amid widespread anger and questions.

Friends and family painted a different picture of Alex Pretti. Dimitri Drekonja, chief of infectious diseases at the VA hospital and a professor at the University of Minnesota, described Pretti as an “outstanding” and “super nice, super helpful guy” who “wanted to help people.” Pretti’s father, Michael Pretti, echoed this, stating his son “cared about people deeply” and was upset by ICE’s actions. He confirmed Alex had participated in protests following Renee Good’s killing. Videos show Pretti directing traffic and filming agents, his hands seemingly empty, and later attempting to defend a legal observer who was shoved. He was then sprayed with a chemical agent, tackled, and shot at close range by multiple agents while on the ground.

The incident ignited widespread condemnation from Minnesota officials. Governor Tim Walz spoke with the White House, declaring, “Minnesota has had it,” and calling for an end to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operation, demanding the “thousands of violent, untrained officers” be pulled from the state. Walz insisted the state must lead the investigation. Senators Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, both Democrats, also demanded federal agents leave Minnesota, with Smith calling it “another catastrophic shooting.”

The American Civil Liberties Union’s Minnesota chapter condemned the killing, demanding federal agents “immediately withdraw from Minnesota – and other communities across the country,” citing them as “out of control.” Local county commissioner Angela Conley described the event as “cold blooded murder,” while Democratic national committee chairperson Ken Martin reacted with outrage on social media. Protests quickly gathered at the scene, leading to tense confrontations where federal agents reportedly deployed chemical irritants into the crowd.

The latest shooting is expected to reignite anger among Democrats, particularly concerning the recent vote by some House Democrats to extend funding for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration and border patrol agents. The Minnesota Organization of Registered Nurses (MNORN) released a statement mourning Pretti’s death, emphasizing the collective grief for a colleague lost to violence connected to immigration enforcement. This tragic event, along with the shooting of Renee Good, occurs more than five years after the murder of George Floyd by local police in Minneapolis, which sparked worldwide protests, drawing renewed scrutiny to law enforcement practices in the city.