Man Shot By ICE Agents In Minneapolis ID'ed, MN National Guard On Standby

MINNEAPOLIS, MN — The man fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minneapolis on Saturday was an intensive care unit nurse who lived in south Minneapolis, according to a report citing family members. Gov. Tim Walz also activated the Minnesota National Guard on Saturday to assist local police amid growing protests.

Alex Pretti was shot multiple times by federal officers on Saturday morning during a confrontation near the intersection of 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue, his family told The Associated Press. Federal authorities said Pretti was shot after he approached ICE agents with a handgun as they were conducting a targeted enforcement operation.

Shawn Manke, adjutant general of the Minnesota National Guard, told the Minneapolis Star Tribune that Guard troops were active and staged in the metro area to respond rapidly if needed due to growing protests spurred by the shooting. The Guard was activated earlier in the day by Walz.

Manke said the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office has requested the Guard’s assistance for its requirement to provide security to the Whipple Federal Building.

According to his family, Pretti was a nurse at the Veterans Administration who cared deeply about people and was upset by President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in his city.

Pretti was a U.S. citizen, born in Illinois. Court records showed he had no criminal record, and his family said he had never had any interactions with law enforcement beyond a couple of traffic tickets.

Pretti has an address listed in south Minneapolis, the Minneapolis Star Tribune reported.

ICE Agent 'Feared For His Life'

The Department of Homeland Security said the shooting occurred as ICE agents were conducting a targeted operation in search of a person wanted for violent assault. Federal officials said the man approached agents with a handgun.

"The officers attempted to disarm the suspect, but the armed suspect violently resisted. More details on the armed struggle are forthcoming," DHS said in a statement. "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."

Federal officials said the man had two magazines as well as the gun.

Officials did not specify if Pretti brandished the gun, and it is not visible in bystander video of the shooting obtained by The Associated Press.

Family members said Pretti owned a handgun and had a Minnesota concealed carry permit. They said they had never known him to carry it.

In a recent conversation with their son, his parents, who live in Wisconsin, told him to be careful when protesting.

“We had this discussion with him two weeks ago or so, you know, that go ahead and protest, but do not engage, do not do anything stupid, basically,” Michael Pretti said. “And he said he knows that. He knew that.”

Gregory Bovino of U.S. Border Patrol, who has commanded the administration’s big-city immigration campaign, said the officer who shot the man had extensive training as a range safety officer and in using less-lethal force.

“This is only the latest attack on law enforcement. Across the country, the men and women of DHS have been attacked, shot at,” he said.

Walz said he had no confidence in federal officials and that the state would lead the investigation into the latest fatal shooting.

Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said during a news conference that federal officers blocked his agency from the shooting scene, and when they returned with a signed judicial warrant, they were still blocked.

Renewed Calls For Peace, Trump Blames MN Lawmakers

Saturday's shooting was the third by ICE in recent weeks, renewing calls by Minnesota leaders to remove federal agents from the city.

At a news conference held after the shooting, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey spoke directly to President Trump, urging him to end federal operations in the city to achieve peace.

"How many more resident Americans need to die or get badly hurt for this operation to end? How many more lives need to be lost before this administration realizes a political and partisan narrative is not as important as American values?" Frey said. "How many times must local and national leaders plead with you, Donald Trump, for you to recognize this is not creating safety in our city?"

In a post shared on social media, Walz said he spoke with the White House following the shooting.

“I just spoke with the White House after another horrific shooting by federal agents this morning,” Walz said. “Minnesota has had it. This is sickening. The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now.”

President Donald Trump weighed in on social media by lashing out at Walz and the Minneapolis mayor.

Trump shared images of the gun that immigration officials said was recovered and said: “What is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers?”

Trump, a Republican, said the Democratic governor and mayor are “are inciting Insurrection, with their pompous, dangerous, and arrogant rhetoric.”

After the shooting, an angry crowd gathered and screamed profanities at federal officers, calling them “cowards” and telling them to go home. One officer responded mockingly as he walked away, telling them, “Boo hoo.” Agents elsewhere shoved a yelling protester into a car. Protesters dragged garbage dumpsters from alleyways to block the streets, and people who gathered chanted, “ICE out now,” referring to Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

“They’re killing my neighbors!” said Minneapolis resident Josh Koskie.

Federal officers wielded batons and deployed flash bangs on the crowd.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara said authorities had declared an unlawful assembly in the area of the shooting.

He urged people to remain peaceful and not to destroy the city.

O'Hara also called on federal agencies operating in Minneapolis “do so with the same discipline, humanity and integrity that effective law enforcement in this country demands."

The shooting came amid widespread daily protests in the Twin Cities since the Jan. 7 shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good, who was killed when an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fired into her vehicle. A week later, a Venezuelan man was shot in the leg after federal officials claimed he tried to assault ICE agents.

It also comes a day after thousands of demonstrators protesting the crackdown on immigrants crowded the city’s streets in frigid weather, calling for federal law enforcement to leave.

Lawmakers React To Shooting

Minnesota U.S. Sens. Amy Klobuchar and Tina Smith, both Democrats, reacted to the news of the shooting on Saturday. Klobuchar said she was working to get more information.

"To the Trump administration and the Republicans in Congress who have stood silent: Get ICE out of our state NOW," Klobuchar said.

Smith called the incident another "catastrophic shooting" by federal agents.

"We are gathering more information, but ICE must leave now so MPD can secure the scene and do their jobs," Smith said.

Others from across the political spectrum weighed in following the shooting. Some called for the impeachment of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, while others stood by ICE.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on the social platform X to thank God for the “patriots” who work for ICE and said, “We have your back 100%.”

The Pentagon chief added: “Shame on the leadership of Minnesota — and the lunatics in the street. ICE MN.”

Editor's Note: The age of the man who was shot has been corrected to 37, per information from the police chief. The AP previously reported his age as 51 based on a hospital record.

This is a developing story. Patch will update as additional information becomes available.

The Associated Press contributed reporting.