The fatal shooting of a Minneapolis ICU nurse by a Border Patrol agent on Saturday morning has ignited a fierce dispute between federal and local authorities over the circumstances that led to his death.
Alex Pretti, 37, who worked at a Veterans Affairs hospital, was shot and killed during an encounter with federal immigration enforcement officers. The incident marks the second fatal shooting of an American citizen by a federal agent in Minneapolis this month, further straining relations between federal authorities and the city.
The Department of Homeland Security has maintained that Pretti approached officers while carrying a 9mm semi-automatic handgun. According to the department’s account, when officers attempted to disarm him, Pretti “violently resisted” their efforts. The department stated that an agent, “fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers,” fired what they characterized as defensive shots.
Local officials have sharply contested this version of events. Minneapolis police confirmed that Pretti held a valid handgun license. Under Minnesota law, citizens with proper permits are legally permitted to openly carry handguns. This detail has become central to the local officials’ criticism that federal authorities have rushed to justify the shooting without a complete investigation.
Video footage of the encounter has emerged, showing federal agents spraying Pretti with what appears to be pepper spray and forcing him to the ground before the fatal shooting occurred. According to a witness statement filed in federal court, Pretti was among three individuals pepper-sprayed by agents. The witness claimed Pretti was attempting to assist a woman who had been knocked down when agents tackled him.
The rhetoric from federal leadership has been notably severe. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Patrol Commander at Large Greg Bovino characterized Pretti’s presence at the scene as an intent “to inflict maximum damage on individuals.” Secretary Noem went further, labeling his actions as domestic terrorism.
“This individual who came with weapons and ammunition to stop a law enforcement operation of federal law enforcement officers committed an act of domestic terrorism, that’s the facts,” Noem told reporters.
However, when pressed by reporters to clarify whether Pretti had actually brandished his weapon before the confrontation, neither Noem nor Bovino provided an answer.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has publicly criticized what he termed the federal government’s premature narrative. He expressed concern that before any independent investigation could be completed, “the most powerful people in the federal government are spinning stories.”
State and local officials have announced they will conduct their own investigation into the shooting. They have renewed their demands for federal immigration enforcement agents to cease operations within the city limits.
The incident raises significant questions about the rules of engagement for federal agents operating in jurisdictions where state law permits lawful gun ownership and open carry. The clash between federal characterizations of the event and local officials’ accounts underscores the broader tensions surrounding federal immigration enforcement operations in cities that have resisted such activities.
As investigations proceed, the fundamental question remains unanswered: whether a licensed gun owner exercising rights protected under state law can be presumed a threat warranting lethal force by federal agents.
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