On Saturday, Jan. 24, a Minnesota resident, Alex Pretti, was fatally shot and wounded in a struggle happening in a local South Minneapolis ICE protest.
His death comes just days after fellow Minnesota resident, Renée Nicole Good, was fatally shot in her car.
The conflict started once ICE agents began attempting to arrest an individual, leading to confrontation occurring with bystanders. Pretti soon became involved in the interaction, where he was pepper-sprayed and then tackled by ICE Agents.
Within seconds of being on the ground, ICE agents fired on Pretti, leaving him with 10 fatal gunshot wounds, according to bystander video footage.
The incident has led to the rise of significant controversy, with family members and witnesses objecting narratives from government officials. Initially, the Department of Homeland Security claimed that the agents had acted in self-defense after Pretti approached them with a handgun. Despite these claims, verified bystander footage shows Pretti recording with his phone.
Contrasting opinions on ICE and immigration enforcement’s methods have extended beyond the national stage, prompting discussion among students within the local community. “I believe if you commit a crime and come into a country illegally, there should be some kind of repercussions,” said junior Jackson Stewart. “But the method ICE is using to deport these people and gather them, I think it’s awful and should be changed.”
Other students, however, expressed far stronger criticism towards ICE’s actions, arguing that the force used against Pretti crossed the line of being enforcement, and instead excessive violence. “What ICE did was completely unnecessary, inhumane, and cruel,” said junior Ashley Hearn. “Alex Pretti is a perfect example of this. They had no right to fire shots and kill him. No one deserves to die like that.”
Pretti’s death has now been classified as a homicide. While further investigations into the circumstances of Pretti’s death are still underway and legal determinations are finalizing, the recent incidents have sparked intense conversations regarding immigration policies and especially enforcement practices, as well as accountability within citizens.
