National Guard activated after man shot dead by ICE agents in Minneapolis, DHS says man was armed

DHS characterized the incident as an attack, saying a Border Patrol agent fired in self-defense after a man approached with a handgun and violently resisted attempts to disarm him.

But bystander videos from the scene verified by Reuters showed the man, identified as 37-year-old Alex Pretti, holding a phone in his hand, not a gun, as he tries to help other protesters who have been pushed to the ground by agents.

As the videos begin, Pretti can be seen filming as a federal agent pushes away one woman and pushes another person to the ground. Pretti moves between the agent and the women, then raises his left arm to shield himself and turns away as the agent pepper-sprays him.

Pretti turns and tries to aid the woman who has fallen as the agent continues to spray him. As Pretti lifts up the woman, the agent pulls him off her, and Pretti is forced onto his hands and knees by several agents. One of them pulls an item from Pretti’s waistband, then quickly moves away from the scene.

Moments later, an officer with a handgun pointed at Pretti's back fires four shots at him in quick succession. Several more shots can then be heard as another agent appears to fire at Pretti.

The agents initially all back away from Pretti’s body on the road. Some agents then seem to offer medical assistance to Pretti as he lies on the ground, as other agents keep bystanders back.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey formally requested the Minnesota National Guard's assistance in supporting law enforcement amid protests across the city following the incident.

The National Guard told FOX 9 they have two missions for their deployment, namely, "The request from Minneapolis to help the Minneapolis Police Department, and a request from Hennepin County to support at the Whipple Federal Building."

"Our community is tired, our officers are tired, our businesses are tired, and this additional support is necessary. The chaos we’re seeing is caused directly by ICE, Border Control, and this federal administration," Frey said at a Saturday evening news conference.

During a press conference held shortly after the shooting, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara stated that Minneapolis police were called to the scene in the morning and found the male victim with multiple gunshot wounds.  The victim was rushed to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead, he said.

State, local, and federal law enforcement are on scene as the investigation into the incident is ongoing.

The City of Minneapolis urged the public to "remain calm and avoid the immediate area" in a statement released on social media.

Shortly after the shooting, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz stated that he spoke to the White House regarding the incident, which he described as "horrific" and "sickening."

Walz called for US President Donald Trump to end ICE operations, urging Trump to "pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now."

Trump additionally released a statement regarding the shooting on Truth Social in which he claimed the ICE agents acted "to protect themselves."

The president questioned why Minnesota Police were not present to protect the federal officers, alleging that "many of these Police were not allowed to do their job" due to Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey having "called them off."

"LET OUR ICE PATRIOTS DO THEIR JOB!" Trump requested.

Trump called Walz and Frey "sanctimonious political fools" who "should be looking for the Billions of Dollars that has been stolen from the people of Minnesota."

Both Walz and Frey both publicly called for the lessening of ICE presence in Minnesota following the Saturday shooting, which Trump alleged was "pompous, dangerous, and arrogant rhetoric" aimed at "inciting Insurrection."

The victim, later identified as 37‑year‑old Renee Good, blocked ICE agents with her car before attempting to flee, hitting an officer, who then fatally shot Good.