Protests and anger after man shot dead by immigration agents in Minneapolis

January 25, 2026

A 37-year-old intensive care nurse named Alex Pretti was fatally shot by immigration agents in Minneapolis while participating in protests against ICE operations, triggering widespread demonstrations and a sharp dispute between federal and state officials. The Trump administration claims Pretti approached officers with a handgun and was shot in self-defense, labeling him a "domestic terrorist," but multiple videos from the scene contradict this account, showing him being pepper-sprayed, wrestled down, and shot after an agent appeared to remove a gun from the scuffle. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and other state officials have denounced the federal account as "lies" and called for removal of ICE agents from the state, while hundreds of protesters gathered in Minneapolis and other major U.S. cities to demand justice.

Who is affected

Alex Pretti (37-year-old intensive care nurse, killed)
Michael Pretti and Susan Pretti (Alex Pretti's parents)
Renee Good (37-year-old Minneapolis resident previously killed by ICE agent)
Minnesota residents, particularly the Somali immigrant community (largest in the U.S.)
Federal immigration officers/Border Patrol agents involved in the shooting
Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara
Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem
Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino
Hundreds of protesters in Minneapolis, New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, and San Francisco
Women who were pushed/shoved by agents before the shooting
Undocumented migrants targeted by ICE operations

What action is being taken

Hundreds of demonstrators are protesting in Minneapolis and other U.S. cities (New York, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco)
Armed and masked federal agents are deploying tear gas and flashbang grenades against protesters
ICE agents are conducting enforcement raids in Minneapolis
Observers are following ICE officers, filming them, and alerting residents of their presence
President Trump is overseeing a deportation operation of undocumented migrants

Why it matters

This incident represents a dangerous escalation in tensions between federal immigration enforcement and local communities, particularly as it's the second fatal shooting by ICE agents in Minneapolis within three weeks. The stark contradiction between federal claims of self-defense and video evidence showing agents pepper-spraying and shooting a protester raises serious questions about accountability, use of force, and truthfulness in government statements. The conflict between state and federal authorities—with Minnesota's governor calling federal accounts "lies" and demanding withdrawal of agents—illustrates a fundamental breakdown in cooperative governance and threatens public trust in law enforcement institutions. The shooting of a healthcare worker with no criminal record while he documented immigration enforcement activities has catalyzed nationwide protests and bipartisan calls for investigation, signaling broader public concern about civil liberties during aggressive deportation operations.

What's next

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy has called for a full joint federal and state investigation
Governor Walz has demanded President Trump end the operation and remove federal officers from Minnesota
Mayor Jacob Frey has called for ICE agents to leave the state

Read full article from source: BBC