The man who was shot and killed during a confrontation with federal agents in Minneapolis has been identified as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old American citizen, local police said. The man was killed after a confrontation with several officers on Saturday. Minneapolis police said he was a white male from Minneapolis, the Star Tribune reported.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said that the man took out his gun and threatened Fed agents while they were attempting to arrest an illegal criminal. The incident, which was caught on camera, quickly drew a loud and agitated crowd, forcing law enforcement to deploy multiple rounds of tear gas to break it up.
Chaos after Death in Minneapolis
In the chaos that followed, rioters were seen throwing trash cans at an armored vehicle and shouting chants at heavily armed federal officers. DHS later released a photo of a 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun, saying it was recovered from the man during the confrontation.
The shooting took place shortly after 9 a.m. near Glam Doll Donuts at the corner of 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue, where video shows several agents wrestling with the man before gunfire breaks out.
Video footage shows agents grappling with the man on the ground before one federal officer fired several shots into his chest.
The incident is the third shooting involving federal agents in Minneapolis in recent weeks, following the fatal shooting of a woman by an ICE officer on January 7 and another case in which a federal agent injured a man about a week later.
City officials in Minneapolis acknowledged the situation in a post on X, saying they "are aware of reports of another shooting involving federal law enforcement in the area."
"We are working to confirm additional details," the department's post read. "We ask the public to remain calm and avoid the immediate area."
The city's police department and the Minnesota State Patrol have also arrived and are trying to keep more than 100 onlookers and demonstrators away from the federal officers.
People protesting have blocked off streets using dumpsters and restaurant chairs, shouting "ICE go home!" at the agents, while the scene remains cordoned off with police tape.
At least two flash-bang devices have been set off as officers continue to push back the crowd with tear gas, with the smoke still hanging in the air.
No Explanation to This
Protesters are staying in the area, yelling behind makeshift barriers, banging on dumpsters and stepping back whenever tear gas is released. At the same time, residents are shouting at the agents, calling them "Nazis" and saying immigrants are welcome, while others are rushing to move their cars out of the area.
Several people who witnessed the events were taken toward the Bishop Henry Whipple Federal Building as ICE officers tried to tell local police to leave, but Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara refused.
O'Hara has told his officers to secure the area, and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office is coordinating with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension on a state response.
"The scene must be secured by local law enforcement for the collection and preservation of evidence," Moriarty said, according to the Tribune.
"We expect the federal government to allow the BCA to process the scene," she added.
