Federal Agents Fatally Shoot Minneapolis Nurse During Immigration Protest
The city of Minneapolis has been plunged into turmoil following the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old intensive care nurse by federal immigration agents during a weekend protest. Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a US citizen with no criminal record, was killed during an operation connected to the ongoing Operation Metro Surge.
Contradictory Accounts of the Fatal Incident
According to the Department of Homeland Security, Pretti "approached" officers while armed with a 9mm handgun during the Saturday morning incident in South Minneapolis. However, this official account has been vehemently disputed by Pretti's family, eyewitnesses, and video evidence from the scene.
Multiple witness videos show federal agents pepper-spraying and wrestling Pretti to the ground before opening fire. The footage appears to show Pretti holding only a mobile phone with his empty left hand raised above his head at the time shots were fired.
Family's Heartbreaking Response and Community Outrage
In an emotional statement, Pretti's parents Michael and Susan Pretti described the administration's claims as "sickening lies" and called for the truth about their son's death to be revealed. "Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump's murdering and cowardly ICE thugs," they stated. "Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man."
The shooting has sparked significant community anger in Minneapolis, with authorities using tear gas and flash bangs to disperse crowds following the incident. Pretti's death marks the third time in recent weeks that federal enforcement operations in Minnesota's capital have resulted in lethal force being used.
Vigil in Extreme Conditions
Despite freezing temperatures dipping below -21 degrees Celsius, nearly 3,000 mourners gathered for a vigil in a Minneapolis park to remember the fallen nurse. The community response highlights the deep tensions surrounding federal immigration enforcement activities in the area.
The US government has controversially labelled Pretti a "domestic terrorist" in their official statements about the incident, a characterization that further fuels the controversy surrounding this fatal shooting during what began as a protest against a neighbour's arrest.
