Family of Man Killed by Federal Agent in Minneapolis Demands Truth as Senator Urges Investigation

The family of a 37-year-old man shot dead by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis has called for the full truth to be revealed, as political pressure grows for an independent investigation into the incident.

Alex Pretti, a US citizen and intensive care nurse, was killed during a confrontation with federal agents in the city on Saturday. His death comes less than three weeks after another Minneapolis resident, Renee Good, was also fatally shot by an immigration officer.

Federal and state authorities have issued sharply different accounts of what happened in the moments before Pretti was shot.

Conflicting versions of events

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said officers fired in self-defence after Pretti “reacted violently” while carrying a handgun. Senior Trump adviser Stephen Miller went further, describing Pretti as a “domestic terrorist”.

However, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz rejected that explanation, calling it “nonsense” and accusing federal officials of misleading the public.

| “The story coming from Washington does not match what we are seeing on video.”
| — Gov. Tim Walz

Video footage shared online shows Pretti standing in the street filming officers on his phone and attempting to help a woman who had been pushed to the ground. He was later pepper-sprayed, wrestled to the ground and shot.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Pretti had no serious criminal record. His only known encounters with police were related to parking violations. Local officials also said he was believed to be a lawful gun owner.

Family seeks answers

Pretti’s parents described their son as a compassionate nurse. He joined neighbourhood protests because he was distressed by immigration raids in the city.

| “Our son was a kind-hearted soul. We want the truth about what happened to him.”
| — Pretti family statement

Relatives of Renee Good, who was killed earlier this month, said the two deaths have left the community traumatised. They are now fearful of further encounters with immigration officers.

Political fallout

Republican Senator Bill Cassidy said the case was deeply troubling and called for a joint federal and state inquiry.

| “There must be a full investigation. The American people deserve the truth.”
| — Sen. Bill Cassidy

President Donald Trump accused Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Walz of encouraging unrest, claiming they had “incited an insurrection”. Both officials rejected that accusation and demanded the removal of federal immigration agents from the city.

US Vice-President JD Vance blamed what he called “engineered chaos” on left-wing activists and local leadership, further intensifying the political divide.

Protests and national reaction

Candlelight vigils have been held across several US cities, including Minneapolis, Los Angeles and New York, while demonstrations against immigration enforcement operations have spread nationwide.

Hollywood figures also joined criticism of the killing. Actress Olivia Wilde called Pretti’s death an “unfathomable tragedy”, while Natalie Portman described the situation as “obscene”.

Veterans and civil rights groups have questioned whether federal officers are being held to the same standards as local police when using lethal force.

Broader questions about enforcement powers

Under US law, federal officers may only use deadly force if they believe they face an immediate threat of death or serious injury. Legal experts say the incident raises concerns about how those rules are being applied during immigration operations inside American cities.

Minnesota officials have filed legal action seeking to block further immigration enforcement deployments, arguing that public trust has collapsed.

What happens next

Investigations by state authorities and the Department of Homeland Security are ongoing. Minnesota leaders have said they do not trust federal agencies to lead the inquiry alone.

For Pretti’s family, the issue is not politics but accountability.

| “We want the facts. We want justice. And we want our son’s name cleared.”
| — Pretti family statement

As protests continue and political pressure mounts, the shooting is expected to become a defining test of how immigration enforcement is carried out, and how deaths involving federal officers are investigated, in the United States.