Identity of American citizen shot dead by Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis revealed
The man shot and killed by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis has been identified as Alex Preti, a U.S. citizen and intensive care unit nurse.
Minnesota leaders have vowed to hold federal authorities accountable for the Jan. 24 shooting death of a 37-year-old ICU nurse by a Border Patrol agent, a death that has sparked fresh protests in a state already reeling from the killing of Renee Nicole Good.
Alex Preti, a U.S. citizen and registered nurse who treated veterans, was shot and killed by federal agents after confronting immigration authorities. Federal officials said Preti had a gun that he intended to use to “kill law enforcement.” Video from bystanders and witnesses submitted to the court does not show Pretty brandishing a weapon as he approaches the agents.
The shooting occurred just weeks after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed Good, 37. The much-discussed nature of Preti’s death and its circumstances has exacerbated already deep tensions between state and federal authorities.
Gov. Tim Walz and other Minnesotans have promised the state will “make the final decision” on the shooting, which appears to be the result of the Trump administration’s controversial deployment of operatives in military-style tactical gear.
“I’m here to make a strong statement to the federal government,” the former vice presidential candidate said at a news conference hours after the shooting. “The Minnesota judicial system will have the final say in this matter. It should have the final say.”
In response to the shooting, New York Republican Congressman Andrew Garbarino formally requested the heads of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services to testify before a full hearing of the House Homeland Security Committee.
The committee invited agency leaders to testify at a hearing on “Oversight of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Division of Border Security and Immigration Enforcement” on January 15th, and Garbarino formally announced the request on January 24th.
“I take seriously my department’s oversight duties, 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 that ICE, CBP, and USCIS effectively utilize the historical materials provided through the settlement to enhance public safety, and I look forward to each of these agencies testifying before the committee.”
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison announced late Saturday that he had filed a lawsuit against federal authorities “to prevent the destruction of evidence” related to Preti’s shooting death. Ellison’s lawsuit comes after federal authorities barred state authorities from turning over evidence related to Goode’s murder.
The Minnesota National Guard was activated Saturday at the governor’s request to secure the scene of the shooting and the Whipple Federal Building, a known immigration transit stop that has become a hotspot for protesters, according to a statement.
“The Minnesota National Guard’s mission remains the same: to protect lives, protect property and ensure Minnesotans can safely exercise their First Amendment rights,” Army Maj. Andrea Tschiya, a National Guard public information officer, said in a statement.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi made a series of demands on Walz in the wake of the shooting, saying he would restore “law and order” in the state.
In it, she called on Minnesota officials to turn over voter registration records, repeal the sanctuary cities law, and provide assistance to immigration officials.
“You and your office must restore the rule of law, support ICE agents, and end the chaos in Minnesota,” Bondi wrote, according to a copy of the letter shared by FOX News. “I am confident these simple steps will help restore law and order to Minnesota and improve the lives of Americans.”
Alex J. Preti, 37, a U.S. citizen and registered nurse who worked at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Minneapolis, has been identified as the man shot and killed by federal agents during an immigration raid on Saturday.
Co-workers and family members described the 37-year-old Minneapolis resident as a caring and skilled nurse who was “troubled” by the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown on the Twin Cities.
Immediately after the shooting, federal authorities labeled him a “domestic terrorist” who arrived at an immigration detention scene with a gun to “inflict maximum harm and kill law enforcement.”
He had a firearms permit, and multiple videos from bystanders showed him approaching officers with a cell phone in hand.
In a federal court filing Saturday, a witness to the shooting said Preti “did not brandish a weapon of any kind” and that “it appeared that investigators were counting his gunshot wounds” afterward.
The sworn statement in court is in connection with a class-action lawsuit against the Department of Homeland Security, which accuses the department of using intimidation tactics reminiscent of “pre-World War II Germany and Pinochet’s Chile” to chill free speech protected by the First Amendment.
The witness, whose name was redacted, is a doctor who lives near where the shooting occurred, according to court filings. Witnesses said they awoke Saturday to the sound of “screaming from outside” and saw Preti “yelling at ICE officers.”
“I saw him yelling at ICE officers, but he did not attack them or brandish a weapon of any kind,” the witness wrote. “Suddenly, an ICE officer pushed the man to the ground. Although my view of the altercation was partially obstructed, several seconds later I could see at least four ICE agents pointing guns at the man. I then saw the officers shoot the man at least six or seven times.”
The witness then went to tend to Preeti’s wounds. Witnesses said officials did not administer first aid.
“I was confused as to why the victim was on my side, as that is not standard practice,” the pediatrician wrote. “Checking for a pulse and performing CPR is standard practice. Instead of doing either of those, the IE agent appeared to be counting the number of bullet wounds.”
