Federal agents shoot, kill man in Minneapolis;欧博 G_欧博ABG官网-欧博官方网址-会员登入

MINNEAPOLIS — Minneapolis police confirmed a 37-year-old man from Minneapolis was shot and killed in an incident involving federal agents in the Whittier neighborhood Saturday morning.

His parents later identified him to the Associated Press as ICU nurse Alex Pretti.

"We are heartbroken but also very angry," read a statement released by Pretti's parents Saturday night.

"Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital.

"Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately he will not be with us to see his impact. I do not throw around the hero term lightly. However his last thought and act was to protect a woman.

"The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down all while being pepper sprayed.

"Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man."

A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told the AP Pretti was armed with a handgun, but several angles of the incident appear to show multiple agents striking him repeatedly on the ground and securing a handgun moments before Pretti was killed.

Other video taken from bystanders also appear to show agents surrounding Pretti's body and yelling, "Where's the gun?"

A statement posted by the department alleged officers were "conducting a targeted operation" toward an undocumented immigrant, when they claimed another man approached, leading to "defensive" shots from agents being fired.

DHS said Pretti died at the hospital a short time later.

MPD Police Chief Brian O'Hara confirmed Pretti was a U.S. citizen and legal gun owner with a permit to carry a firearm.

The officer involved in the shooting is reportedly a Border Patrol agent with eight years of experience.

Protests escalated in the area as news of the shooting spread. O'Hara, Mayor Jacob Frey and others met for a press briefing from City Hall in the hours after the shooting, asking protesters to remain calm and for agents to operate with "discipline and humanity."

"Our demand today is for those federal agencies that are operating in our city to do so with the same discipline, humanity and integrity that effective law enforcement in this country demands," O'Hara said.

He also asked protesters to "remain peaceful," and declared the situation in Uptown had escalated into an "unlawful assembly."

"We recognize that there is a lot of anger and a lot of questions around what has happened, but we need people to remain peaceful in the area," he said.

The public response to the shooting prompted calls for assistance from the Minnesota National Guard from Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt.

"Due to the potential for continuing and growing conflict related to today’s federal agent-involved shooting, Sheriff Dawanna Witt has requested assistance from the Minnesota National Guard to support our deputies at the Whipple Federal Building so that we can reallocate deputies to other areas in need of support in the county," read a statement from the sheriff's office.

"Their job will be to assist the Sheriff’s Office in protecting life, preserving property, and helping to ensure the safety of all community members."

The city echoed Witt's request for National Guard assistance later Saturday afternoon and said in a statement that a vehicle perimeter will be constructed to keep people from entering the area between Franklin Avenue and 28th Street from Pillsbury Avenue to Interstate 35W.

The city added the Guard will wear neon reflective vests to help distinguish them from other agencies in similar uniforms. Officials said Guard members will "remain in close contact and proximity to Minneapolis Police officers whom they are supporting."

"To be clear, the Minnesota Guard deployment comes at the request of local officials," the statement said. "The federal government has no involvement in their activities."

Frey also said in a second press conference just after 4 p.m. that he is filing a declaration to encourage a judge to rule on a temporary restraining order to cease federal officers' operations on Monday.

"... That would grant us immediate relief and help stop this operation that has been so harmful to the city of Minneapolis, the state of Minnesota, that has resulted in multiple shootings and tragic deaths," Frey said.

At the same time, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem spoke from Washington, D.C., essentially repeating the same narrative offered earlier by Bovino.

As the day progressed, that narrative appeared to be in direct conflict with witness accounts and video footage.

Shortly after 11 a.m., Federal Bureau of Investigation vehicles were seen arriving to the area of the shooting. Border Patrol and Homeland Security agents were also present.

Frey pleaded directly with President Donald Trump, asking the president to "put America first" and use the incident as an opportunity to lead.

"How many more lives need to be lost before this administration realizes that a political and partisan narrative is not as important as American values?" Frey asked. "How many times must local and national leaders plead with you, Donald Trump, to end this operation and recognize that this is not creating safety in our city?"

Border Patrol Commander at Large Greg Bovino and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Executive Assistant Director of Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) Marcos Charles held their own briefing just after 1 p.m., where they laid out their agency's version of events — some details in direct conflict with video footage taken by several bystanders.

Bovino claimed Pretti was "immediately delivered medical aid" after shots were fired, but video shows agents backing away from him as he lay in the street.

Preliminary reports said the shooting happened around 9 a.m. It is the third shooting — and second fatality — in Minneapolis involving federal law enforcement in less than three weeks.

Thirty-seven-year-old Renee Good was shot and killed on Jan. 7, also on the south side of Minneapolis. A week later, federal agents shot Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis in the leg.

Following the shooting, state leaders started to comment, including Gov. Walz, who said he spoke with the White House.

I just spoke with the White House after another horrific shooting by federal agents this morning. Minnesota has had it. This is sickening.

The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now.

— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) January 24, 2026

He also called on the president to allow the state to lead the investigation, the request coming after the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) was shut out of investigating Good's shooting.

I told the White House the state must lead the investigation.

Let state investigators secure justice. As we process the scene, stay peaceful and give them space.

The State has the personnel to keep people safe – federal agents must not obstruct our ability to do so.

— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) January 24, 2026

A social media post from the BCA later Saturday afternoon said its Force Investigations Unit tried to respond to the area at the request of Minneapolis police, but "were blocked."

Superintendent of the BCA Drew Evans addressed the shooting in a press conference at 3 p.m., calling the current climate around law enforcement in Minnesota "uncharted territory."

"We do not make decisions about guilt or innocence, but we compile the facts of the incident for review by proper prosecutorial authorities, both at the state and federal levels," he said. "When our team arrived, they were blocked by federal agents with the Department of Homeland Security from accessing the scene. We worked with them and were in contact with the FBI trying to attempt to access the scene so we can gather evidence to understand what occurred and work through this process."

Evans said the BCA also secured a search warrant for the scene, calling it an "unusual move" in a public area.

"We did that, attempting to have judicial approval to enter this scene to gather evidence. We were once again blocked by federal authorities to go in and do that scene examination."

The BCA Force Investigations Unit has been requested by Minneapolis police to investigate this morning’s federal agent-involved shooting in Minneapolis.

Our agents and crime scene personnel attempted to access the location but were blocked by @DHSgov personnel at the scene.

— Minnesota BCA (@MnDPS_BCA) January 24, 2026

Walz appeared around 1:30 p.m. for a press briefing, saying the federal government is waging "a campaign of organized brutality against the people of our state, and today, that campaign claimed another life."

"Donald Trump, I call on you once again: Remove this force from Minnesota," he said before addressing the public. "I call on all Americans to see the decency that this state is exhibiting, and the horrific cruelty, unprofessional, absolute abomination that is passing for what these ICE agents are doing on our streets."

KARE 11's Kent Erdahl was at the governor's briefing and asked whether there was any indication the Trump administration planned to pull agents out of the city. Walz said he does "not have a lot of confidence Donald Trump will do the right thing."

"I do have a lot of confidence that the majority of the American people will do the right thing," he said, encouraging demonstrators to bear witness and document activity legally, while acknowledging the risks.

"I say it to Minnesotans, as I've said, exercise your First Amendment rights; speak out, bear witness and document legally," he said.

"But I understand the risk in that, and I understand the courage that it takes to have people out there doing this ... We'll keep the peace. We'll secure the justice with our neighbors, and we'll see this occupation ends ...

"Minnesotans, you know who you are, and you demonstrate it every single day, and we damn sure know who these people are. The American public knows, and this needs to be the event that says, 'Enough.'"

Hours after the man's shooting death, Trump posted a statement to his Truth Social account, claiming Frey and Walz are "inciting insurrection," before pivoting to wide-ranging, unrelated claims about the state's recent fraud probe.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in the area, as law enforcement was seen deploying chemical irritants toward the crowd. KARE 11's Jana Shortal and Joe McCoy were live on-air when teargas canisters were thrown in their direction. Shortal also said they and protesters were physically pushed by law enforcement, which was caught by KARE 11's cameras.

KARE's Raya Quttaineh was also there, where she saw mutual aid efforts pop up with food, beverages and shelter being offered to protesters.

A business owner who ushered folks inside her restaurant near the scene told KARE's Samie Solina she's "never seen this before."

"I want everybody to be safe and get warm 'cause it's so cold out there," she said.

Efforts to honor Pretti via public vigils have been underway throughout the city for several hours.

GALLERY: Community gathers to protest, mourn man killed by federal agents in Minneapolis