Fatal shooting by U.S. federal agents triggers protests in Minneapolis

Demonstrations continued in Minneapolis on Saturday after a Minnesota resident was fatally shot by federal law enforcement agents, with protesters calling for justice and expressing opposition to federal enforcement actions in the city.

LOS ANGELES, Jan. 24 (Xinhua) — A Minnesota resident was fatally shot by federal law enforcement agents on Saturday, prompting protests and raising tensions in the community.

The victim was identified as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse and U.S. citizen who lived in Minneapolis, the state’s largest city.

His parents said they are “heartbroken but also very angry” over his death.

According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the shooting occurred during an enforcement operation in which federal officers encountered an individual believed to be armed.

“As DHS law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted operation in Minneapolis against an illegal alien wanted for violent assault, an individual approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun,” said the statement.

“The officers attempted to disarm the suspect, but the armed suspect violently resisted,” said the statement. “Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots.”

U.S. President Donald Trump said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) “had to protect themselves” because of the lack of support from local police.

Local authorities and media reports said groups of people gathered near the location after the shooting, and tensions rose in parts of the city. Federal agents used crowd-control measures, including tear gas and flash bangs, after confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement personnel.

In response, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz authorized the activation of the Minnesota National Guard to assist local law enforcement at the request of the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office.

Walz said he had communicated with the White House, stressing that the investigation should be led by the state.

“The state has the personnel to keep people safe — federal agents must not obstruct our ability to do so,” Walz said on X.

The incident marks the third shooting involving federal law enforcement officers in Minneapolis this month. On Jan. 7, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen, Renee Good, was fatally shot by a federal ICE agent. On Jan. 14, an ICE agent shot a Venezuelan national in the leg during an attempted arrest, according to the DHS.

Demonstrations continued in Minneapolis on Saturday amid freezing temperatures, with protesters calling for justice and expressing opposition to federal enforcement actions in the city.■