By Peter Aitken
Politics Weekend Editor
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Video of the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old man from Minnesota, identified by the Star Tribune as Alex Jeffrey Pretti of south Minneapolis, was uploaded to social media earlier on Saturday.
Today's incident occurs just weeks after the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an ICE agent on January 7, which sharply escalated tensions on the ground as ICE and other law enforcement agents carry out President Donald Trump's deportation operations in the state.
Trump has been briefed on the shooting, White House officials told Newsweek.
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The Context
Officials said the shooting occurred at 9:05 a.m. local time near West 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue, an area now at the center of repeated federal‑local conflicts.
According to statements from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the man allegedly approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a handgun during what officials described as a “targeted operation.” Federal agents claimed he resisted violently, leading an agent to open fire. Medical responders on scene attempted lifesaving measures, but he was pronounced dead shortly afterward.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told reporters that the victim was believed to be an American citizen with no criminal history beyond traffic citations and that he legally owned a firearm. Authorities have not yet released his name, but local news identified him as Pretti, who according to state records had a nursing license issued in 2021, which remained active through 2026.
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What To Know
In the video, multiple agents are seen trying to pull a person down to the ground before shots are heard being fired.
The person that the agents were seen trying to subdue lies motionless while a person videoing the scene is heard saying, "They killed that guy! Did they f***ing kill that guy?"
In a statement on Saturday, the DHS said a suspect approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. The officers attempted to disarm the suspect, but they “violently resisted,” prompting an agent to fire "defensive shots."
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara during a press conference on Saturday said that the victim had "multiple gunshot wounds" and that there was "more than one officer involved in the discharge." The victim received lifesaving care before being transported to the Hennepin County Medical Center where he was declared dead.
Mary Moriarty, Hennepin County Attorney, has asked that people submit any video from the scene to this website: Evidence Request from Hennepin County (MN) Attorney's Office.
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Officials Open Investigation as Mayor Calls for End to Operation
Moriarty said her office is working with the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) to secure the scene and begin a formal investigation. City officials have asked residents to remain calm and avoid the area as inquiries proceed. Multiple agencies—including Minneapolis Police, DHS officials, and federal investigative teams—are now working to assemble a full account of what transpired.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey at a press conference on Saturday called on Trump to remove federal agents from his city, calling it an "invasion" of "heavily armed masked agents" who are "roaming around on our streets of Minneapolis emboldened with a sense of impunity."
"It has to end," Frey said. "This is not how it has to be. So, to President Trump: This is a moment to act like a leader. Put Minneapolis, put America, first in this moment. Let's achieve peace."
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What People Are Saying
The Department of Homeland Security in a statement on X, in part: "At 9:05 AM CT, as DHS law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted operation in Minneapolis against an illegal alien wanted for violent assault, an individual approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, seen here. The officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted. More details on the armed struggle are forthcoming."
"Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots. Medics on scene immediately delivered medical aid to the subject but was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect also had 2 magazines and no ID—this looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement," the agency added.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz on X: "I just spoke with the White House after another horrific shooting by federal agents this morning. Minnesota has had it. This is sickening. The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now."
The Border Patrol Union in a statement on X: "Border Patrol agents are trained extremely well to protect themselves, their fellow agents, and innocent third parties. When a supposed “peaceful” protester brings a weapon (such as a loaded handgun) and brandishes it, there are going to severe consequences and repercussions. We have pleaded with and warned the media and the politicians that their irresponsible, hate-filled and false rhetoric is going to get people unnecessarily hurt, or worse, killed when they portray our agents and officers as the aggressors. They have encouraged these reckless confrontations and attacks on our agents and officers who are performing their lawful duties and enforcing the laws that Congress has put on the books. The fake and dishonest media and the shameless politicians should be held accountable for willfully misleading the public and enticing these protesters and agitators. We have full confidence that when more facts are revealed, our agents and officers will be shown to have utilized justifiable force in eliminating the threat."
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey during a press conference on Saturday, in part: "How many times must local and national leaders must plead with you, Donald Trump, to end this operation and recognize that this is not creating safety in our city...We have seen these kinds of operations in other places, in other countries, but not here in America. Not in a way where a great American city is being invaded by its own federal government. I'm done being told that our community members are responsible for the vitriol in our streets. I'm done being told our local elected officials are solely responsible for turning down the temperature."
Update, 1/24/26, 2:25 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.
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