Federal agents shoot another US citizen dead in Minneapolis
Federal agents in the United States shot and killed a man in Minneapolis on Saturday in the third reported shooting involving federal agents in the city in less than three weeks, triggering fresh protests and renewed calls for President Donald Trump to withdraw heavily armed federal officers from the city.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said a 37-year-old man died in hospital after being shot multiple times. The victim, a US citizen and Minneapolis resident, was later identified by his parents as Alex Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse.
The killing comes amid a weeks-long deployment of immigration enforcement and other federal agents to Minneapolis, where they have been carrying out raids as part of Trump’s anti-immigration campaign.
The city has seen daily protests since January 7, when another resident, Renee Good, was killed after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fired into her vehicle. Federal agents also shot a Venezuelan man in a separate incident last week.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned the latest killing, calling the federal operation “a campaign of organised brutality.”
“This long ago stopped being a matter of immigration enforcement,” Walz said. “It’s a campaign of organised brutality against the people of our state. And today, that campaign claimed another life.” He said the state would handle the investigation.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said a US Border Patrol agent shot Pretti after he allegedly approached officers with a handgun and “violently resisted” attempts to be disarmed. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said the agent fired “defensive shots.”
Federal officials said the agent involved is an eight-year Border Patrol veteran.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said video footage showed more than six masked agents beating and shooting a resident.
“I just saw a video of more than six masked agents pummelling one of our constituents and shooting him to death,” Frey said. “How many more Americans need to die or be badly hurt for this operation to end?”
Several state and federal lawmakers also demanded an end to the deployment. Senator Amy Klobuchar wrote on X: “Get ICE out of our state NOW.”
The family of Alex Pretti, the Minneapolis ICU nurse who was shot and killed by federal agents, said they are “heartbroken but also very angry,” rejecting official claims about the incident and demanding that the truth be made public.
In a statement, the family described Pretti as a kind and compassionate person who cared deeply for his family, friends, and the American veterans he treated at the Minneapolis VA hospital. They said he wanted to make a difference in the world and had devoted his life to helping others. “I do not use the term hero lightly,” the statement said, adding that Pretti’s final act was to try to protect a woman during the confrontation.
The family strongly disputed the government’s account of the shooting, calling it “reprehensible and disgusting.” They said Pretti was not holding a gun when he was attacked, and that video footage shows him holding his phone in one hand while raising his empty other hand and trying to shield a woman who had just been pushed to the ground, even as he was being pepper-sprayed.
“Please get the truth out about our son,” the family said. “He was a good man.”
Representative Ilhan Omar called the killing “an execution” and accused Trump of turning Minneapolis into a “war zone.”
Trump responded on social media by attacking Walz and Frey, accusing them of “inciting insurrection.” He shared images of a gun that officials said was recovered and asked: “Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers?”
Bystander videos show Pretti standing in the street filming agents with his cellphone. Footage shows an agent using pepper spray as Pretti tries to shield himself and others. Several agents then tackle him to the ground and begin striking him.
While Pretti is pinned to the ground, one agent draws a weapon and multiple shots are fired. His body can be seen lying motionless in the street.
Investigative group Bellingcat said the footage “appears to show that a gun was taken from the man before the first shot was fired.”
“Two different agents are visibly firing their guns, with at least 10 shots being heard in total. Most of them are fired after a brief delay, when the man is already lying motionless on the ground,” the group said.
Police Chief O’Hara said investigators believe Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry. Minnesota allows open carry with a permit.
Meanwhile, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey has formally requested the deployment of the Minnesota National Guard to reinforce local law enforcement following the fatal shooting of a city resident by federal agents, as tensions continue to rise amid a heavy federal immigration enforcement presence in the city.
The request was made on the recommendation of Police Chief Brian O’Hara and “out of an abundance of caution,” city officials said, citing the strain on local resources caused by the presence of thousands of federal agents in Minneapolis neighbourhoods.
Minnesota Guard personnel will assist police and emergency services around 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue, where a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident was shot and killed by federal agents on Saturday morning, and at other locations as needed.
City officials said Guard members will wear neon reflective vests to distinguish them from other agencies and will operate in close coordination with Minneapolis police officers. Authorities stressed that the deployment is at the request of local officials and that the federal government has no role in directing the Guard’s activities.
The Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office has also requested National Guard assistance to help secure the B.H. Whipple Federal Building, citing the need for additional personnel to cover shifts.
As part of heightened security measures, Minneapolis police have set up a temporary vehicle perimeter near the shooting site. Except for residents, vehicles are barred from entering the area between Franklin Avenue and 28th Street, from Pillsbury Avenue to Interstate 35W. The National Guard will assist in enforcing the restrictions and many additional posts.
City officials urged people gathering in the area to disperse in the interest of public safety. Authorities said any materials being collected for barricades or fires would be removed and any fires extinguished.
Earlier in the day, city leaders expressed anger over what they described as the fear, loss of life, and breakdown of public safety caused by the federal deployment.
“We ask that the Trump administration and the invasion of federal agents get out of our city. How many more people have to die?” Mayor Frey said, adding, “What are these actions accomplishing? Stand up for America, because right now you’re tearing us apart.”
Police Chief O’Hara said an MPD command post has been established, and the Minnesota State Patrol and other Twin Cities law enforcement agencies are on standby. Officers from neighbouring departments are assisting Minneapolis police in responding to emergency calls.
“Our demand today is for federal agents in our city to act with the discipline and integrity we expect of our own officers every day,” O’Hara said, while urging the public to remain peaceful.
Minneapolis Emergency Management Director Rachel Sayre said the events would have a “lasting, generational impact” on families in the community.
“We are seeing terror and fear in families across Minneapolis, people afraid to go to the grocery store or send their children to school,” she said, noting that “But we are also seeing the community’s peaceful response and care for neighbours.”
City officials said municipal staff are working around the clock to provide support, and pointed residents to online resources for food assistance, housing, legal help, and health services.
