As recounted by Steven Garcia to Gaby Del Valle:

While standing on a frozen lake covering a pond hockey event, my phone buzzed with an alert from the Minnesota Star Tribune about a shooting. A player scheduled for later expressed doubts about attending, anticipating protests and demonstrations in the wake of the incident.

Approximately three hours later, I arrived at the scene. By then, federal agents had already wrapped up their investigation, with the FBI having withdrawn. The area was now secured by state and local authorities, including the Minneapolis Police Department, their SWAT unit, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office, and the Minnesota State Patrol.

Protesters had gathered at several intersections, using trash cans and dumpsters to block roads, with mattresses scattered across the streets. While tensions simmered as protesters taunted the police, the situation remained non-violent. Eventually, officers retreated a block away, deploying tear gas as they withdrew, driving their vehicles over the mattresses.

The tear gas canisters, reminiscent of fireworks in their crackling bangs, were numerous. At times, four to six canisters were launched simultaneously. The gas permeated my mask, forcing me to seek refuge in an alley. Even in small doses, tear gas is a harsh irritant, stinging the eyes and mouth, and causing nausea and skin irritation for some. A fellow reporter shared that his neck burned, requiring a decontamination wipe.

The community’s response was swift and organized, likely a legacy of the George Floyd protests in 2020. Gregory Bovino, head of the US Border Patrol, acknowledged the preparedness of Minneapolis residents. Many people, recalling previous unrest, had their respirators ready and stocked up on safety gear, decontamination wipes, and first aid kits. At every event, tables were set up offering food, water, and hand warmers to combat the frigid temperatures, which barely rose above zero degrees.

After the officers cleared the scene, everyone convened at the intersection of 26th and Nicolette, just a couple hundred feet from where Alex Pretti was shot. Some community members started a makeshift vigil for him at the location where he was killed. People were spelling his name out with pinecones and starting to leave flowers.