Federal immigration agents have once again been involved in a lethal shooting in Minneapolis, marking what officials say is the second deadly confrontation in the city in less than three weeks tied to a broad federal enforcement operation.According to statements from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Border Patrol agents were conducting immigration enforcement activity early Saturday morning when officers encountered a man who, authorities claim, had a handgun and additional magazines. After a physical altercation on a snowy street, one agent fired shots that left the man mortally wounded. He was transported to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.Federal authorities have described the encounter as one in which officers attempted to disarm the man, who then posed a threat, leading an agent to shoot in self-defense. DHS has defended the use of force, framing it as necessary under the circumstances.Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara said the person shot dead was a white man, a resident of the city and a US citizen. O’Hara said the victim was 37 years old.The Minnesota Star Tribune has named the person shot dead by the federal authorities this morning as Alex Jeffrey Pretti,Governor Tim Walz condemned the continued presence of federal agents, calling the operation “violent” and urging for the mission to be halted.Civil unrest erupted in parts of Minneapolis after the news, with demonstrators clashing with officers and organizing strikes and protests — including closures of restaurants, museums, and schools as part of a coordinated reaction to the federal activity.Local officials have called for restraint amidst anger on the streets.Saturday’s fatal confrontation comes on the heels of two prior shootings involving federal immigration personnel in Minneapolis:On January 7, 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Renée Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen and mother of three, was shot and killed during an ICE enforcement operation in South Minneapolis when she drove her van into an officer. The following video contains coarse language..On January 14, a Venezuelan national was shot in the leg during another immigration encounter in North Minneapolis, an episode that also drew protests and criticism.Together, these incidents are part of what federal authorities have dubbed “Operation Metro Surge” — a significant increase in immigration enforcement efforts in Minnesota under the Trump administration.
