The US Department of Justice has opened a federal civil rights investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis nurse and activist, by immigration officers last Saturday. The announcement was made on Friday by Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, as protests continued across the Twin Cities.
Pretti, 37, a nurse at the veterans hospital in Minneapolis, was shot dead while protesting against aggressive immigration enforcement tactics. He was the third person shot during a surge of federal agents sent to Minnesota, and the second to die, after Renee Good was killed on 7 January. The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that the FBI would lead the investigation.
Addressing reporters in Washington, Blanche said the inquiry would examine video footage and witness testimony, adding: “We’re looking at everything that would shed light on that day.” The move marks a significant shift from an earlier, narrower review by the Department of Homeland Security. No similar investigation has been opened into Good’s death.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who has faced calls to resign, conceded she may have relied on incorrect information when she initially claimed Pretti had attacked officers. She described the situation as “very chaotic”. Earlier, a border patrol commander said Pretti had wanted to “massacre” federal officers, and Noem labelled him a “domestic terrorist”. Bystander video showed Pretti holding a mobile phone as he was tackled, and he did not appear to reach for the gun he was licensed to carry.
Two videos have also emerged of an altercation between Pretti and federal officers on 13 January, showing him shouting at vehicles and kicking a taillight before a struggle. Meanwhile, demonstrators continue to gather daily, with one protester, Ann Pelsue, travelling from Wisconsin to join a rally outside a federal building in a Minneapolis suburb.
