Officials from the administration of Donald Trump on Sunday defended the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, even as bystander video footage appeared to contradict their account and tensions escalated between local authorities and federal officers.
Residents gathered in freezing temperatures to leave flowers and candles at an improvised memorial honoring Alex Pretti, who was killed on Saturday. Administration officials said Pretti attacked officers, forcing them to shoot in self-defense. That version of events has been challenged by videos captured at the scene.
Pretti is the second American citizen to be fatally shot by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis this month. The city has seen a significant deployment of armed and masked federal officers as part of an aggressive immigration enforcement campaign ordered by Trump, a move with little historical precedent.
Dispute over federal presence intensifies
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz renewed calls for the removal of federal agents from the state. Minnesota has asked a federal judge to intervene, arguing that the federal operation exceeds constitutional limits.
Senior Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino said on CNN that agents were the true victims in the incident, a claim echoed by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Those statements sparked backlash from local leaders, law enforcement officials, and Democratic members of Congress, who pointed to videos showing Pretti holding only a cellphone before being tackled by agents and shot at close range.
Protests grow across Minneapolis
In recent weeks, federal agents have faced widespread protests from residents angered by the immigration crackdown. Demonstrators have filled city streets despite harsh winter conditions, chanting slogans and demanding that Immigration and Customs Enforcement leave the city.
Thousands again marched on Sunday, waving signs reading “ICE OUT!” as tensions continued to rise.
Videos raise serious questions
Video footage reviewed by Reuters shows Pretti holding a phone as he attempted to assist other protesters who had been pushed to the ground. The footage shows a federal agent shoving multiple women before Pretti stepped between them. He appears to raise his arm defensively moments before being pepper-sprayed.
Several agents then restrained Pretti, forcing him to the ground. As he was pinned down, someone shouted what sounded like a warning about a gun. The footage later shows an agent removing a handgun from Pretti’s waistband and stepping away.
Moments later, another officer fired multiple shots into Pretti’s back at close range, followed by additional gunfire.
Former ICE official Darius Reeves told Reuters that the apparent lack of communication among agents was alarming, saying the response suggested poor coordination on the ground.
Minnesota officials confirmed that Pretti legally carried a concealed firearm under state law, a right affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court in 2022.
“The videos speak for themselves”
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said publicly that the video evidence contradicts the administration’s claims and that he had seen no indication Pretti pointed a weapon at officers.
The city was already on edge following the January 7 killing of Renee Good, another U.S. citizen shot by federal agents. While officials claimed Good tried to ram an officer with her vehicle, bystander footage appeared to show her attempting to drive away.
Minnesota authorities are investigating whether laws were broken in that case. The U.S. Justice Department has withdrawn cooperation, prompting the resignation of more than a dozen federal prosecutors in protest.
At the state’s request, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration not to alter or destroy any evidence related to Pretti’s death.
Public and corporate backlash grows
Executives from major Minnesota-based companies, including Target, Cargill, and Best Buy, issued a joint statement calling for immediate de-escalation and cooperation among all levels of government.
Former U.S. Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton also condemned the killings. Clinton accused the administration of dishonesty, while Obama warned that core American values are under threat.
Remembering Alex Pretti
Pretti worked as an intensive care nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital. On Sunday, more than 200 healthcare workers gathered at the site of his death, leaving flowers and tributes.
One nurse who had worked with Pretti said he was compassionate and kind, struggling to understand how he lost his life.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said his son, also a nurse, described colleagues breaking down in tears, calling the loss deeply personal.
Despite mounting criticism, Trump has defended the federal operations, saying they are necessary to enforce immigration laws and combat crime.
