Federal agents cordon off the area as people gather at the scene of a shooting involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, January 24, 2026.
Tim Evans Reuter
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz on Saturday called on President Donald Trump to halt large-scale Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations in the state after the second mass shooting by federal agents this month in Minneapolis.
In a post on
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said at a news conference Saturday afternoon that authorities have identified the victim as a 37-year-old white man from Minneapolis, adding that the man has no known criminal history other than traffic enforcement. The man was later identified by his parents and the Associated Press as ICU nurse Alex Pretti.
“The only interaction we are aware of with law enforcement is regarding a traffic ticket, and we believe he is a legal gun owner with a permit,” O’Hara said, adding that the details of the encounter are still under investigation.
O’Hara said the department has been in contact with the Department of Homeland Security, but did not provide specific details about the incident itself.
The shooting escalated a tense standoff between Minnesota authorities and federal immigration officials that had been going on for weeks. Earlier this month, ICE agents shot and killed 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Renee Nicole Good during a raid. This sparked widespread protests and fueled a political backlash against the federal investigation.
“At 9:05 a.m. CT, DHS law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted operation against an illegal alien wanted on suspicion of violent assault in Minneapolis,” a DHS spokesperson said in a statement on X. “As seen here, an individual approached a U.S. Border Patrol agent with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun.”
A handgun that the Department of Homeland Security said was recovered from a man who was shot during his arrest is seen in this handout photo released on January 24, 2026, in what is believed to be Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA.
Homeland Security via X | via Reuters
Federal agents attempted to disarm the suspect, but he resisted violently, the Department of Homeland Security said. “Further details regarding the armed struggle will be released in due course.”
The ministry said about 200 protesters arrived at the scene and “crowd control measures were put in place to ensure the safety of the public and law enforcement.”
Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Greg Bovino said at a news conference Saturday afternoon that the federal officer involved in the shooting has been with the agency for eight years.
A cloud of tear gas clashes between federal agents and local residents at the scene of a shooting involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, January 24, 2026.
Tim Evans Reuter
President Trump responded to the shootings in a post on Truth Social, defending the federal government’s operations and condemning criticism of Trump’s surge in immigration enforcement.
“This is the perpetrator’s gun, loaded (plus two full magazines!) and ready to go. What the heck is this? Where are the local police? Why weren’t the police allowed to protect the ICE officers?” he wrote. “Did the mayor and governor call them out? We are told that many of the police were not authorized to do their jobs and ICE had to protect themselves. That’s not easy!”
At a press conference Saturday night, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described Preti as a man intent on violence against federal officers, saying, “This appears to be a situation where an individual arrives on the scene to inflict maximum harm on the individual and kill law enforcement.”
Asked if the 37-year-old had ever pointed a gun at a federal officer, Noem dodged the question and asked why individuals would bring guns to protests.
But despite Noem’s claims, videos posted on social media by bystanders and observers of the shooting scene appear to tell a different story. In one video obtained by The Associated Press, protesters can be heard blowing whistles and shouting profanities at agents on Nicollet Street.
The video shows an officer shoving a person wearing a brown jacket, skirt and black tights and holding a water bottle. The person reaches out to the man and the two embrace. The man, wearing a brown jacket and black hat, appeared to be holding up a cellphone at the police officer.
The same officer stabbed the man in the chest, and the two, still hugging each other, backed away.
The video then moves to another part of the street and then returns to the two people unlinking each other. The video changes focus again and shows three officers surrounding the man.
Soon, at least seven police officers surround the man. One person was on the man’s back, and the other, who appeared to have a can in his hand, punched him in the chest. As the man appears to resist, several police officers try to put his arms behind his back. As they pull his arm, his face appears briefly on camera. The officer struck the man holding the canister several times in the head area.
Shots rang out, but it was unclear where the shots came from as police surrounded the man. Multiple officers backed away from the man after the shots were fired. More gunshots are heard. The officers backed away and the man lay motionless in the street.
Another video seen by CNBC appears to show federal agents disarming a man on the ground before opening fire.
Two people told MS Now that DHS, not the FBI, will investigate the shooting.
In response to a request from Hennepin County Sheriff Dawanna Witt, Walz agreed to activate the Minnesota National Guard on Saturday afternoon to assist first responders.
“The Minnesota National Guard’s role is to support local law enforcement and emergency response forces and provide additional resources. Their presence is intended to create a safe environment in which all Minnesotans can safely exercise their rights, including the right to peacefully protest,” the sheriff’s office said in a statement.
Minneapolis officials urged people to avoid the area and remain calm as local law enforcement and State Patrol arrived to separate protesters and ICE agents, the Minnesota Star Tribune reported.
Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) joined the governor’s call to end ICE operations in Minnesota.
“The world is watching. Thousands of citizens stopped and harassed. Local police can’t do their jobs anymore. Children are in hiding. Schools are closed. Let’s get ICE out of Minnesota now,” she said in an X post.
But Trump administration officials blamed the gunman for the shooting.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller called Pretti a “domestic terrorist” and claimed he had “attempted to assassinate federal law enforcement.”
—CNBC’s Terry Cullen and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
This story is developing. Please refresh to check for updates.
