Minneapolis has become the epicenter of escalating tensions between federal authorities and local communities following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti by a US Border Patrol officer on January 24. The incident marks the second deadly shooting by federal agents in the city this month, reigniting protests that had initially erupted after the January 8 killing of Renee Nicole Good.
The confrontation occurred during what Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin described as a ‘targeted operation’ targeting an ‘illegal alien wanted for violent assault.’ According to official accounts, Pretti approached agents while carrying a 9mm semi-automatic handgun. McLaughlin stated that officers attempted to disarm him but he ‘violently resisted,’ prompting an agent to fire ‘defensive shots’ fearing for safety.
Verified video footage obtained by the BBC shows agents surrounding and tackling Pretti to the ground outside a Nicollet Avenue coffee shop, with one agent appearing to strike him multiple times before gunshots are heard. The Department of Homeland Security subsequently released photographic evidence of the firearm allegedly carried by Pretti, who police described as a lawful gun owner with only minor prior interactions with law enforcement.
The shooting has intensified existing tensions stemming from the Trump administration’s deployment of 2,000 federal agents to Minneapolis on January 6 following allegations of welfare fraud. This deployment supports an ICE campaign targeting immigrants with deportation orders, particularly members of the city’s Somali community.
In response to the latest incident, authorities deployed tear gas to disperse protesters who returned to the streets. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has demanded that state authorities lead the investigation, while Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey condemned ICE operations as ‘not creating safety in our city’ and characterized the federal presence as an ‘invasion’ of masked agents operating with impunity.
President Trump escalated political tensions by sharing the weapon image on social media while questioning local law enforcement’s response and accusing local officials of inciting insurrection. Without providing evidence, Trump alleged a ‘cover up’ to hide theft and fraud, demanding that ICE agents be allowed to ‘do their job.’