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A federal immigration agent shot and killed a 37-year-old Minneapolis man during a protest Saturday, marking the second fatal shooting involving immigration officers in the state this month and intensifying tensions between Minnesota officials and the Trump administration over aggressive federal enforcement tactics.
The man, identified by family as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an intensive care nurse, was killed during a confrontation with federal agents in south Minneapolis. Multiple eyewitness videos circulating on social media captured parts of the encounter, fueling sharply conflicting accounts from federal authorities and state and local leaders over whether the use of deadly force was justified.
Pretti’s death comes amid a surge of federal immigration activity in Minnesota following the Jan. 7 shooting death of Renee Good, a Minneapolis woman killed during an encounter with an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent. Since then, protests have grown steadily, with demonstrators accusing federal authorities of excessive force, lack of transparency and intimidation tactics.
Federal officials have deployed more than 3,000 immigration agents to the state, a presence that Minnesota’s attorney general has called unconstitutional. By comparison, the Minneapolis Police Department has roughly 600 sworn officers.
Pretti’s family said he had been deeply disturbed by the federal crackdown and had joined protests to express concern for immigrants and civil liberties.
“He cared about people deeply,” his father, Michael Pretti, told The Associated Press. “He felt that doing the protesting was a way to express that — his care for others.”
According to cellphone videos widely shared online, Pretti appeared to intervene after immigration agents shoved another individual to the ground. Footage shows an officer spraying Pretti in the face, dragging him to the pavement and surrounding him with several agents. Moments later, gunshots can be heard.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Saturday that Pretti legally owned a firearm and that it is lawful to carry a gun in Minnesota. Pretti’s family confirmed he owned a handgun and had a permit, but said they had never known him to carry it.
O’Hara said he believes more than one federal agent fired shots. Minneapolis police received reports of a shooting shortly before 9 a.m. and found Pretti suffering from gunshot wounds, he said.
Federal response and legal arguments
In its initial statement, the Department of Homeland Security said its officers were conducting a “targeted immigration operation” when they were approached by an armed individual who violently resisted efforts to disarm him.
DHS said the agent who fired the shots feared for his life and the lives of others and discharged his weapon defensively. The department did not provide evidence to support its account.
Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino said the agent involved had eight years of experience and extensive training, including as a range safety and less-lethal officer.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem later declined to say whether Pretti pulled a gun before being shot, questioning instead why anyone would bring a firearm to a protest.
“I don’t know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign,” Noem said at a news conference.
Government response
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz sharply rejected federal oversight of the investigation, calling videos of the shooting “sickening” and insisting the state would take control.
“The federal government cannot be trusted to lead this investigation,” Walz said. “The state will handle it, period.”
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is investigating the shooting. Two federal law enforcement sources told NBC News that DHS would take the lead with assistance from the Justice Department and FBI — a departure from typical protocol that has raised concerns about whether a criminal civil rights investigation will occur.
Minnesota’s attorney general said his office plans to seek the removal of federal immigration agents from the state.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, a vocal critic of the enforcement operation, demanded it be halted.
“How many more residents, how many more Americans, need to die or get badly hurt for this operation to end?” Frey said.
Within minutes of the shooting, protesters flooded the area, clashing with federal officers who deployed tear gas, pepper spray and smoke devices. At least one protester was detained, and several sought shelter in nearby businesses after being exposed to chemical agents.
Saturday’s shooting follows weeks of turmoil surrounding the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good, who was shot while inside her car during an encounter with ICE agent Jonathan Ross. An independent autopsy commissioned by her family found she suffered three gunshot wounds, including one to the head. The official medical examiner’s findings have not yet been released.
NBC News has reported that six federal prosecutors and an FBI agent resigned from the Good investigation over concerns about its direction.
About a week after Good’s death, a Venezuelan man was also injured in a shooting involving a federal officer in Minneapolis, according to DHS.
What comes next
As investigations proceed, Minnesota leaders are pressing for limits on federal enforcement activity, while protests show no signs of slowing. State officials have demanded full transparency and accountability in the shootings, setting the stage for a widening legal and political battle over immigration enforcement, policing authority and civil rights in Minnesota.
