Two Killed by Federal Gunfire in Minnesota in January Alone, Nationwide Backlash Spreads Across U.S.

The Financial News – In Minneapolis, Minnesota, two U.S. citizens were killed in January alone by gunfire from a federal immigration enforcement agent, fueling growing backlash against the Donald Trump administration’s immigration enforcement tactics across the United States. Federal authorities have insisted that the most recent fatal shooting was an act of self-defense, but videos recorded by bystanders and analyses by major media outlets have prompted mounting criticism that their account does not match what actually happened.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Minneapolis Police Department, on the morning of the 24th (local time) in Minneapolis, a 37-year-old man, Alexander "Alex" Jeffrey Pretti, was shot and killed by United States Border Patrol agents. Pretti was identified as a nurse working in the intensive care unit at a local Veterans Affairs hospital. The incident occurred about 1.6 kilometers from the site where U.S. citizen Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on the 7th of this month.
Federal authorities stated that Pretti approached the agents while carrying a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and that the shooting occurred as they tried to disarm him. United States Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino claimed that Pretti attempted to attack law enforcement officers, and President Donald Trump posted a photo of the handgun believed to have belonged to Pretti to underscore the justification for the shooting.
However, the release of footage from the scene has intensified the controversy. The New York Times (NYT) analyzed videos filmed from multiple angles and pointed to evidence suggesting that Pretti was holding a cellphone at the moment he was subdued. The conservative-leaning The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) also reported that the federal government’s explanation conflicts with what appears in the footage. The video shows Pretti trying to support another civilian, then scuffling with agents before being forced to the ground, followed by several close-range shots being fired at him.
Minnesota Governor Timothy James Walz responded by accusing federal agents of fomenting chaos and violence, announcing a state-led investigation and calling for the withdrawal of federal personnel. President Donald Trump, in contrast, lashed out at Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, accusing them of inciting insurrection and raising the possibility of invoking the Insurrection Act.
The families of the victims and local communities have also reacted with anger. Pretti’s parents issued a statement condemning the government’s explanation as a "disgusting lie." The Minneapolis Police Department said that Pretti had no felony record and held a valid permit to carry a firearm. Republican Representative Thomas Massie and several gun-rights groups likewise voiced concern over the federal response.
The back-to-back fatal shootings have sparked protests that are now spreading across the country. Minneapolis has been a symbolic focal point of debates over race and policing since the 2020 death of George Perry Floyd Jr. The latest incidents are once again highlighting clashes over immigration enforcement between the federal government and state authorities, as well as between conservative and progressive camps.
The political fallout is also growing. Democratic Party senators have resolved to oppose a government spending package that includes funding for immigration enforcement. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer denounced the latest incident as "something that should never happen in any city" and stressed that he would not support any vote on a bill that contains funding for DHS. As a result, the prospect of another federal government shutdown at the end of this month is once again being discussed.
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km@fnnews.com Reporter Kim Kyung-min Reporter