Minneapolis Crackdown Sees Second Death as Pressure Mounts on Trump
Pressure on the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis reached a new peak this weekend after federal agents shot and killed a second U.S. citizen, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse. The incident, captured on video, has dramatically intensified public outrage and contradicted the official narrative provided by authorities.
Early Saturday, agents scuffled with Pretti on an icy roadway before shooting him approximately ten times seconds after he was sprayed with a chemical irritant and thrown to the ground. The administration quickly claimed Pretti intended to harm the agents, citing a pistol found on him. However, widely circulated and verified cell phone footage shows Pretti never drew a weapon, leading his parents to condemn the government’s “sickening lies” about their son.
This fatal encounter comes less than three weeks after federal immigration officer killed Renee Good, also 37, in her car—another death where initial official accounts were challenged.
Mounting Political Pressure and Calls for Investigation
The killing has sparked fierce bipartisan calls for a transparent investigation. Senators from President Trump’s own Republican Party, including Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, demanded a “full joint federal and state investigation.” This marks a significant shift, as local investigators were controversially excluded from the probe into Renee Good’s death.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem expressed grief for the family but deferred to an ongoing investigation. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, when asked if agents had already disarmed Pretti before firing, stated plainly, “I do not know. And nobody else knows, either. That’s why we’re doing an investigation.”
A City and State in Confrontation
The escalating situation has turned Minneapolis into a tense battleground. Around a thousand protesters demonstrated Sunday, adding to weeks of sustained outcry against the presence of thousands of federal agents deployed under “Operation Metro Surge.” The operation began after conservative media reports of alleged fraud within the city’s large Somali immigrant community—claims repeatedly amplified by President Trump.
Minnesota’s Democratic leadership has pushed back forcefully. Governor Tim Walz directly challenged the President, asking, “What’s the plan, Donald Trump? What do we need to do to get these federal agents out of our state?” Attorney General Keith Ellison dismissed the fraud justification, arguing, “if he sent people who understand forensic accounting, we’d be having a different conversation. But he’s sending armed masked men.”
A National “Wake-Up Call”
The crisis has drawn condemnation from the highest levels of American political life. Former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama issued a forceful statement, calling Pretti’s killing a “wake-up call” and asserting that core American values “are increasingly under assault.” They accused the Trump administration of being “eager to escalate the situation.”
With local authorities suing to suspend the federal operation and a court hearing set for Monday, the standoff in Minneapolis has become a focal point for national debates over immigration enforcement, federal overreach, and the use of lethal force. As investigations proceed and protests continue, the city remains a symbol of a deeply divided nation grappling with the methods and costs of domestic security operations.
Also Read:
US Warship Arrives at Cambodia’s Newly Renovated Naval Base
Top Chinese Military Leader Faces Probe Over Serious Discipline Breach
