Alex Pretti shooting live updates. Latest on Minneapolis protests, federal fight

Minnesota leaders are vowing to hold federal officials accountable for the fatal shooting on Jan. 24 by a Border Patrol agent of a 37-year-old ICU nurse, whose death has sparked fresh protests in a state already rocked by the killing of Renee Nicole Good.

Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen and registered nurse who treated veterans, was shot and killed by a federal agent after confronting immigration authorities. Federal officials said Pretti was carrying a gun he intended to use to “kill law enforcement.” Videos from bystanders − and a witness account in court filings − do not show Pretti brandishing a weapon when he approached agents.

The fatal shooting comes just weeks after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed Good, 37. Pretti’s death and the heavily disputed way it happened has deepened the already tremendous tensions between state and federal officials.

Gov. Tim Walz and other Minnesotans are promising that the state “will have the last word” on the fatal shooting that they see as the result of the Trump administration’s controversial deployment of agents in military style tactical gear.

“I have a strong statement here for our federal government,” the former candidate for vice president said at a news conference hours after the shooting. “Minnesota’s justice system will have the last word on this. It must have the last word.”

GoFundMe for Pretti’s family raises over $433K

An online fundraiser that is intended to support the “immediate and ongoing needs” of Pretti’s loved ones had raised more than $433,000 by Sunday morning. Organizer Keith Edwards said he has contacted Pretti’s family and is working with GoFundMe to ensure they receive the money.

“If, for any reason, the funds cannot be transferred to Alex’s family, we will direct the total amount to the Immigrant Defense Project, a nonprofit that provides litigation, advocacy, and community-defense resources to help immigrants defend their rights and fight deportation,” the fundraiser said.

USA TODAY has reached out to GoFundMe and Edwards to determine whether the fundraiser has been verified.

‘The victims are the Border Patrol agents’: Commander pressed in tense interview

Border Patrol Commander at Large Greg Bovino in a new interview didn’t provide further evidence to support allegations that Alex Pretti intended to hurt or kill authorities in Minneapolis, instead calling Border Patrol agents “the victims” in the incident.

In an interview nearly 24 hours after Pretti was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent, Bovino told CNN that the facts will “come to light” after an investigation.

“With respect, it feels as though in some ways, you’re blaming the victim here,” “State of the Union” host Dana Bash said nearly halfway through the interview.

“The victims are the Border Patrol agents. I’m not blaming the Border Patrol agents,” Bovino said in response. “The victims are the Border Patrol agents. The suspect put himself in that situation.”

Bovino repeatedly referred to Pretti as a “suspect” in the interview and did not respond to a question from Bash about why he was using the phrase, typically used to describe a person law enforcement is investigating for a crime. The Border Patrol official did not offer further explanation for his previous allegation that Pretti intended to “massacre” agents when asked to explain why Pretti was shot multiple times.

In bystander footage of the shooting Pretti, who authorities confirmed had a permit to carry a gun, is seen holding a phone, and not wielding his weapon.

Trump questions why police didn’t protect ICE officers after shooting

After the shooting, President Donald Trump asked why local police did not protect ICE officers in a post on his Truth Social platform.

“The Mayor and the Governor called them off? It is stated that many of these Police were not allowed to do their job, that ICE had to protect themselves — Not an easy thing to do!” he wrote.

Trump’s comment came soon after Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey called on the president to “take action now to remove these federal agents.” Frey and Walz have repeatedly called for an end to the aggressive immigration enforcement campaign in the state.

− Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy

Alex Pretti’s parents speak out: ‘He was a good man’

Pretti’s family released a statement late Saturday evening that expressed their grief over the 37-year-old and also celebrated him as a “hero.” The family also slammed the Trump administration for its characterization of Pretti as someone who came with a gun to “kill law enforcement.”

“The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs,” the family said in a statement shared with CNN.

“He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down all while being pepper sprayed,” they added.

Flash poll finds strong disapproval of ICE tactics

A one-day poll from YouGov found strong disapproval of Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and their tactics, with one-third of respondents saying that they want to abolish the agency altogether.

The survey was conducted on Jan. 24 – the same day a Border Patrol agent shot and killed Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. On Jan. 7, an ICE officer fatally shot Renee Good in Minneapolis. The poll surveyed 3,359 U.S. adults. The margin of error was not immediately clear.

ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Protection are separate agencies but are both under the Department of Homeland Security. The two agencies work on immigration issues and have been in the Twin Cities area as part of the Trump administration’s aggressive enforcement operation.

In the flash survey, a majority, 58%, called ICE’s tactics “too forceful.” Overall approval of the agency sat at 37%, and disapproval at 57%. Of that number, 48% “strongly” disapproved of the way the law enforcement agency was handling its job.

When asked about their opinions on abolishing ICE, 46% approved of the idea, with a significant portion – 37% –“strongly” on board. Another 41% opposed nixing the agency, of which 31% “strongly” opposed.

The poll also gaged opinion on the protests that have erupted across the country and in Minneapolis over the past few weeks, in response to ICE’s operations and the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good. The survey said 48% supported the protests, and 41% did not. Another 10% said they were unsure.

Judge orders feds to not destroy evidence

A federal judge in Minnesota temporarily barred Trump administration officials from “destroying or altering evidence” related to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.

The order came shortly after the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office filed a lawsuit and asked the court to prevent such destruction of evidence. Leadership of the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and the U.S. Border Control, as well as United States Attorney General Pam Bondi are named as defendants in the suit.

U.S. District Judge Eric Tostrud scheduled a hearing on Jan. 26 to hear objections to the order from the federal officials and determine whether it should remain in effect.

House requests ICE, Border Patrol heads testify

In the wake of the shooting, New York Republican Rep. Andrew Garbarino formally requested that the heads of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services testify at a full hearing before the House Committee on Homeland Security.

The committee invited the agency leaders to testify at a hearing on “oversight of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) components charged with border security and immigration enforcement” on Jan. 15, and Garbarino formalized that request on Jan. 24.

“I take my oversight duties for the department seriously, and Congress has an important responsibility to ensure the safety of law enforcement and the people they serve and protect,” Garbarino said. “I am committed to ensuring ICE, CBP, and USCIS are effectively using the historic resources provided through reconciliation to strengthen public safety, and I look forward to each of these agencies testifying before the Committee.”

Minnesota officials respond, deploy National Guard members

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced late on Saturday that he filed a lawsuit against federal officials “to prevent the destruction of evidence” related to Pretti’s shooting. Ellison’s lawsuit comes after federal authorities barred state officials from evidence related to Good’s killing.

Minnesota National Guard members on Saturday deployed at the governor’s request to secure the site of the shooting and the Whipple Federal Building, a known immigration authority staging area that’s become a hotspot for protesters, according to the statement.

“The Minnesota National Guard’s mission remains the same:  preserving life, protecting property, and ensuring Minnesotans can safely exercise their First Amendment rights,” Army Maj. Andrea Tsuchiya, a state national guard public affairs officer, said in a statement.

Pam Bondi hits back at Tim Walz

U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi hit Walz with a set of demands following the shooting that she said will restore “law and order” in the state.

Among them, she demanded Minnesota officials turn over voter registration records, repeal sanctuary city laws and support immigration agents’ operations.

“You and your office must restore the rule of law, support ICE officers, and bring an end to the chaos in Minnesota,” Bondi wrote, according to a copy of the letter shared by Fox News. “I am confident that these simple steps will help bring back law and order to Minnesota and improve the lives of Americans.”

Who is Alex Pretti?

Alex J. Pretti, 37, a U.S. citizen and registered nurse who worked at a U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs medical center in Minneapolis, was identified as the man fatally shot by a federal officer on Saturday, amid an immigration enforcement action.

Colleagues and family described 37-year-old Minneapolis resident as a compassionate, skilled nurse who was “troubled” by the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown on the Twin Cities.

Shortly after the shooting, federal officials labeled him a “domestic terrorist” who arrived at the scene of an immigration enforcement action with a gun to “inflict maximum damage and kill law enforcement.”

He had a permit for his firearm and multiple videos from bystanders showed him approaching officers with his phone.

Shooting witness details ICE killing in court filings

In a federal court filing on Saturday, a witness of the shooting wrote that Pretti “did not brandish a weapon of any kind” and that afterwards “agents appeared to be counting his bullet wounds.”

The sworn declaration to the court comes in connection to a class action lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, charging the agency with using intimidation tactics reminiscent of “pre-World War II Germany or Pinochet’s Chile” to chill free speech protected under the First Amendment.

According to the court filing, the witness, whose name was redacted, is a physician who lives near where the shooting occurred. The witness woke up on Saturday to the sound of “screaming from outside” and saw Pretti “yelling at ICE agents.”

“I saw him yelling at the ICE agents, but I did not see him attack the agents or brandish a weapon of any kind,” the witness wrote. “Suddenly, an ICE agent shoved him to the ground. My view of the altercation was partially obstructed, but after a few second, I saw at least four ICE agents point guns at the man. I then saw the agents shoot the man at least six or seven times.”

Afterwards, the witness went to treat Pretti’s wounds. The witness said agents were not administering first aid.

“I was confused as to why the victim was on his side, because that is not standard practice,” the pediatrician wrote. “Checking for a pulse and administering CPR is standard practice. Instead of doing either of those things, the ICE agents appeared to be counting his bullet wounds.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alex Pretti shooting live updates. Latest on protests, family GoFundMe