A 37-year-old man, identified as VA nurse Alex Pretti, was shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis on Saturday, marking the second such killing in less than three weeks. The incident occurred on Eat Street, a corridor of immigrant-owned businesses, as agents released chemicals into the air and made arrests.
The killing follows the death of Renee Good, also 37, who was shot by a federal agent on 7 January. Tens of thousands had participated in an economic blackout and protest march on Friday, calling for an end to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) occupation and demanding justice for Good.
Governor Tim Walz expressed anger at the situation, stating, 'You ask us for peace, and we give it, and we get shot in the face on the streets coming out of a donut shop.' Federal authorities blamed the victim before completing an investigation, while local officials disputed their account, citing video evidence.
The city remains under a heavy federal presence, with agents using chemical irritants and detaining residents, including children. Rachel Sayre, director of Minneapolis's emergency management department, compared the atmosphere to conflict zones in Yemen, Haiti, Syria, Iraq and Ukraine, describing 'a powerful entity violently and intentionally terrorizing people.'
Community observers monitor ICE activity around the clock but face increasing hostility. A GoFundMe campaign aims to provide protective equipment such as goggles, gas masks and bulletproof vests. Walz concluded, 'This will end when enough Americans say this will end.'
