Minneapolis was rocked by protests on Saturday after US immigration agents shot and killed a US citizen during an enforcement operation.
The incident has deepened tensions between federal authorities and local leaders, with video evidence raising serious questions about official accounts.
US immigration agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a US citizen, in Minneapolis on Saturday, according to officials. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the shooting occurred after a Border Patrol agent fired in self-defense.
Federal authorities claimed Pretti approached agents with a handgun and violently resisted attempts to disarm him during an immigration raid.
However, bystander videos verified by Reuters appear to contradict the official account. The footage shows Pretti holding a mobile phone, not a gun, as he filmed agents pushing protesters to the ground.
BREAKING: 🚨 🇺🇸 STABILISED FOOTAGE RELEASED
— ADAM (@AdameMedia) January 25, 2026
This is the clearest footage of the Minneapolis shooting released so far.
And it makes things extremely clear.
One ICE agent takes the gun.
Another shoots him in the back.
This looks like an IDF execution.https://t.co/2vcQZloxC2
In the video, Pretti is seen stepping between an agent and two women who were shoved. He raises his arm to shield himself as he is pepper-sprayed and then tries to help a woman who had fallen.
Moments leading up to the shooting
As Pretti attempted to lift the woman, agents pulled him away and forced him onto his hands and knees. One agent removed an item from his waistband before moving away.
Moments later, an officer fired four shots into Pretti’s back, followed by additional gunfire from another agent. Agents initially retreated from the scene before some appeared to provide medical assistance as others kept bystanders away.
Protests spread nationwide
The killing sparked hundreds of protesters to gather in the neighborhood, confronting armed and masked agents who deployed tear gas and flashbang grenades. Demonstrations later spread to New York, Washington DC, San Francisco, and other cities.
Pretti, an intensive care nurse, became the second US citizen killed by immigration agents this month, following the fatal shooting of Renee Good on January 7.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti was not peacefully protesting and accused him of attempting to perpetuate violence. Federal officials released an image of a gun they said belonged to Pretti.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz rejected the federal narrative, calling the footage “sickening,” and said the state would take over the investigation. He accused federal agents of blocking state investigators from accessing the scene.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Pretti was a lawful gun owner with no criminal history beyond traffic violations. City police and state troopers were later deployed to manage protests as federal agents left the area.
Authorities urged calm as protests continued for hours. The Minneapolis Institute of Art closed, and the NBA postponed a Minnesota Timberwolves game due to safety concerns.
Mayor, Governor demand end to operations
Governor Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called for an immediate end to the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operations in the city.
“How many more residents, how many more Americans need to die or get badly hurt for this operation to end?” Frey asked.
President Donald Trump accused local officials of fueling unrest, saying the mayor and governor were “inciting Insurrection.” Vice President JD Vance also criticized local leaders for not providing police support to federal agents.
Walz pushed back, saying the immigration crackdown has strained local law enforcement resources.
