A sign for Alex Pretti, who was killed earlier in the day by a U.S. Border Patrol officer, is displayed during a vigil Saturday in Minneapolis.
Zaydee Sanchez for NPR
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Zaydee Sanchez for NPR
Minnesota officials are pushing to ensure they can help investigate the shocking fatal shooting of 37-year-old intensive care nurse Alex Pretti. After a late night court filing a federal judge granted them a temporary restraining order, ruling that no Homeland Security officer can destroy or alter evidence related to the death Saturday morning. Federal investigators have refused to allow access to the scene, despite the state obtaining a search warrant for public areas.
It’s the second fatal shooting in Minneapolis by immigration agents this month, and once again Trump administration officials immediately defended the action as self-defense while blaming the victim — in this case claiming he was a “domestic terrorist” intending to “massacre” officers.
Multiple bystander videos and witness testimony contradict that. Pretti can be seen holding only a phone in his hand before at least six officers tackle him, pinning him face down on the ground and shooting him in the back, firing what sounds like 10 shots. One eyewitness said in a court document that Pretti was not even facing agents when they grabbed him. “It didn’t look like he was trying to resist, just trying to help [a] woman up,” they wrote.
Pretti was a U.S. citizen with no known criminal record. DHS says he was armed, and the city’s police chief confirmed he had a lawful permit to carry. There has been no evidence that NPR has verified of Pretti brandishing his handgun at any time during the encounter with federal agents.
One video shows an officer taking away his gun just before another officer shoots him. Small groups congregated on snowbanks, clutching candles, singing, and engaging in concerned conversations with their neighbors. “It can happen to anyone, even someone walking down this street right now, and that’s what’s so disturbing and impactful that people are gathered here,” remarked Tourmu Diggs, a Minneapolis local who participated in a sizable vigil at Whittier Park, just a few blocks away from where Pretti was fatally shot earlier in the day. Zaydee Sanchez captured Minneapolis residents and protesters marching through the streets during a vigil for Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by a federal agent during an immigration enforcement operation. Many vigil attendees expressed a desire for peace but also fear that they are running out of political, legal, and peaceful means to remove federal immigration agents from the city.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the surge of federal officers in the city, calling it an invasion. He emphasized the importance of standing up for democracy and urged residents to continue speaking out against the presence of federal agents.
In response to the situation, Minnesota activated the National Guard to assist local police in maintaining public safety amid mounting anger and expected protests. The use of the National Guard is intended to help distinguish them from other law enforcement agencies.
Meanwhile, a former Trump administration DHS general counsel has called for the president’s impeachment in light of the ongoing tensions surrounding federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis. John Mitnick expressed his outrage and shame towards DHS’s lawlessness, fascism, and cruelty in a post on X.
ICE and Federal Agents Confront Minneapolis Residents After Fatal Shooting
ICE and federal agents face off with Minneapolis residents and protesters following the fatal shooting of a local resident earlier in the day in south Minneapolis.
Erin Trieb for NPR
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Erin Trieb for NPR
Recent actions by ICE and federal agents, including the killing of Pretti, have sparked increased anger and frustration among Minneapolis residents. Linda Gotlieb, a healthcare worker, joined protesters at the scene of the latest shooting, standing in defiance against a line of heavily armed local police.
“The authorities are trying to paint us as the aggressors,” Gotlieb told NPR. “But we have evidence to show that they are unlawfully detaining and harming individuals. This goes against everything our nation stands for.”
Deputy Attorney General Blanche Sunday, responding to concerns about law enforcement actions, stated that it’s unfair to focus on a few incidents out of the thousands of arrests made. “Our agents are trained to act with compassion,” he said. “Their job is extremely challenging.”
sentence: Please go to the store and buy some milk. following sentence: “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog.”
“The lazy dog is jumped over by the quick brown fox.” sentence: The cat is sleeping peacefully on the window sill.
Rewritten: Peacefully sleeping on the window sill is the cat.
