Republican Senator Bill Cassidy has called for a full investigation after the killing of Alex Jeffrey Pretti by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis.
“The events in Minneapolis are incredibly disturbing,” the Louisiana senator said in a post on X. “The credibility of ICE and DHS are at stake. There must be a full joint federal and state investigation. We can trust the American people with the truth.”
Newsweek has contacted Cassidy, via email outside of normal working hours, for comment.
Why it Matters
Pretti was fatally shot during a federal immigration operation on Saturday, amid weeks of unrest tied to Department of Homeland Security-led enforcement in the Twin Cities.
Cassidy’s call underscores bipartisan concern over conflicting accounts of the shooting and the broader DHS operation in Minnesota.
The incident marked the city’s second fatal shooting by a federal officer this month—37-year-old Renee Nicole Good was killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer Jonathan Ross on January 7.
What To Know
Pretti was identified by his parents and local officials as the man killed; he was a U.S. citizen, 37, an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA, and a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry, with records reflecting no serious criminal history, according to authorities and public records cited by local media.
DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said federal officers fired “defensive shots” after a man approached with a 9 mm handgun and “violently resisted” disarmament during an immigration operation, and federal officials said the shooting agent is an eight‑year Border Patrol veteran.
The killing occurred less than three weeks after Renee Nicole Good, 37, was fatally shot by an ICE officer in Minneapolis, fueling daily demonstrations and escalating state-federal tensions over DHS operations.
Minnesota Democratic Governor Tim Walz deployed the state’s National Guard to assist local police at the shooting site and at a nearby federal building, where officers have faced daily protests. Walz later said he had no confidence in federal officials to lead the investigation.
Drew Evans, superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said federal officers blocked state investigators from the scene even after his agency obtained a signed judicial warrant.
What People Are Saying
President Donald Trump on Truth Social: “What is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers?…The Mayor and the Governor are inciting Insurrection,” he wrote while sharing an image he said showed “the gunman’s gun.”
Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on X: “Minnesota has had it. This is sickening. The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey at a news conference: “We have seen these kinds of operations in other places, in other countries, but not here in America…Not in a way where a great American city is being invaded by its own federal government,” he said while urging an end to the operation.
Vice President JD Vance on X: “When I visited Minnesota, what the ICE agents wanted more than anything was to work with local law enforcement so that situations on the ground didn’t get out of hand,” criticizing local leaders for not cooperating.
What Happens Next
Minnesota officials said the state would lead the investigation, but jurisdictional disputes with federal authorities are likely to continue.
Demonstrations expanded nationwide after the shooting, while congressional Democrats signaled they would oppose a DHS funding package, elevating the stakes of the political fight over immigration enforcement and public safety.
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