Minneapolis, MN — Hundreds of protesters flooded the streets of Minneapolis over the weekend following the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old man by federal agents during a large-scale immigration enforcement operation, sparking widespread unrest, confrontations with law enforcement, and renewed calls for accountability.
The fatal incident occurred Saturday morning when federal immigration officers, including U.S. Border Patrol agents, engaged with a local man during a raid in south Minneapolis. Authorities said the agents fired their weapons after the man allegedly approached them with a handgun and resisted attempts to disarm him. Officials described the gunfire as a defensive action, though conflicting footage and eyewitness accounts shared online have raised questions and fueled public anger.
Shortly after the shooting, a large and angry crowd gathered at the scene, chanting, blocking intersections, and dragging dumpsters into the street as impromptu barricades. Videos circulating on social media showed protesters screaming at federal officers and demanding that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) leave the city. Some demonstrators carried signs and shouted slogans like “ICE out now.”
Law enforcement responded by deploying tear gas, flash bangs, and batons to disperse the crowds, according to reports. Minnesota’s Democratic Governor Tim Walz condemned the ongoing violence and urged federal leaders to reconsider the strategy of the enforcement operation, which he described as an escalation that has only deepened community tensions.
The man who was shot has been identified by loved ones as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an ICU nurse and Minneapolis resident; local family and community figures dispute the federal narrative of the confrontation, saying video appears to show him holding a phone rather than a weapon at the time of the incident. These discrepancies have intensified demands from activists and civil rights advocates for a transparent, independent investigation into the use of lethal force.
The protests grew out of nearly weeks of unrest in Minnesota linked to federal immigration enforcement actions. Earlier this month, federal agents also fatally shot Renee Good, a 37-year-old mother, during a separate encounter, which sparked previous rounds of demonstrations and vigils across Minneapolis and beyond.
On Saturday, as protests swelled, city officials held an emergency news conference urging calm and nonviolence, even as authorities described the crowd as an “unlawful assembly” and called on demonstrators to disperse. In response to the heightened tensions, the Minnesota National Guard was activated to assist local police and manage public safety concerns.
The unrest also impacted local events, including the postponement of the NBA game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the Golden State Warriors, reflecting broader concerns for community safety amid volatile conditions.
As night fell, streets remained tense, with demonstrators and law enforcement facing off near the site where the fatal shooting occurred. Protest leaders called for federal immigration agents to be removed and for thorough investigations into all recent law enforcement shootings in the city.
The Minneapolis protests highlight deep divisions over federal immigration strategy and police tactics, with community members demanding accountability, transparency, and systemic policy changes as the city grapples with the impact of these deadly confrontations.
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