Authorities have confirmed that the individual who was fatally shot in Minneapolis was a resident of the city and is believed to have been a U.S. citizen.
WASHINGTON — Federal agents shot and killed a 37-year-old man in Minneapolis, a city already grappling with tension following a previous fatal shooting just weeks ago. The incident has sparked protests, summoning hundreds to the streets in reaction to the tragic event.
The victim has been identified by his parents as Alex Pretti, who worked as an intensive care unit nurse. This information was verified by the Associated Press on Saturday.
While the circumstances of the shooting remain unclear, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz commented that it occurred during a period marked by the Trump administration’s intensified immigration enforcement measures.
Minneapolis police responded to the scene after receiving a report of a shooting at approximately 9:03 a.m. Saturday. According to officials at a press conference later that day, officers discovered an adult male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center, where he was later pronounced dead.
The authorities have identified the deceased as Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old white male residing in Minneapolis and believed to be a U.S. citizen.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Pretti’s only previous interaction with law enforcement, as far as he knew, was for traffic tickets. “And we believe he is a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry,” he said.
A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson told the AP the victim was armed with a handgun. A statement posted by the department added officers were “conducting a targeted operation” toward an undocumented immigrant, when they claimed the man resisted arrest, leading to “defensive” shots being fired.
DHS said despite life-saving efforts, the man died at the hospital a short time later.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said the shooting occurred amid the Trump administration’s ongoing immigration crackdown.
O’Hara said local officials are demanding accountability from federal agencies operating in the city.
“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 during a press conference.
“We urge everyone to remain peaceful,” O’Hara added. “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.”
The shooting happened amid widespread daily protests in the Twin Cities since the Jan. 7 shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good, who was killed when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fired into her vehicle. Saturday’s shooting unfolded just over a mile away from where Good was shot.
Investigations into the shooting are ongoing.
