Minneapolis descended into violent unrest after federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers shot and killed a civilian, triggering clashes between protesters and police and drawing sharp accusations from President Donald Trump against Democratic leaders in the city and the state of Minnesota.
Federal ICE officers shot and killed a 37-year-old man on Saturday in Minneapolis. Local authorities later confirmed that the victim was a US citizen named Alex Pretty.
The shooting occurred against the backdrop of near-daily, large-scale protests that have gripped the city since a separate incident on 7 January, when Renee Good, also 37, was killed after an immigration officer opened fire on her vehicle. Pretty was fatally shot roughly one mile from the site where Good was killed.
People of Minneapolis build barricades, trapping ICE Gestapo at the scene of their latest murder in broad daylight. Not far from where they killed Renee Good a couple weeks ago, not far from where George Floyd was killed in 2020 pic.twitter.com/bA0uesY7tR
— Calla (@CallaWalsh) January 24, 2026
Clashes on the Streets and Expanding Protests
Despite freezing weather, thousands of protesters flooded the streets, demanding the withdrawal of federal immigration forces. Federal security personnel responded by using batons and stun grenades to disperse crowds, arresting dozens of demonstrators near the city’s airport.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara urged residents to exercise restraint, calling for calm and warning against the destruction of the city.
Solidarity protests also broke out in New York City, where demonstrators took to the streets to condemn the killing in Minneapolis. Videos circulating on social media showed placards reading, “Minnesota started it—time for a nationwide shutdown,” alongside slogans calling for ICE to be expelled from all communities.
Alex Pretti was pepper sprayed in the face for helping female protesters who were being assulted by Border Patrol, he was gang tackled to the ground, beaten, & murdered in cold blood. This photo shows the moment Border Patrol pepper sprayed Alex. Alex did not “incite” anything. pic.twitter.com/tvvcBzToLX
— Ben Meiselas (@meiselasb) January 24, 2026
Political Fallout and Conflicting Accounts
On Saturday, US President Donald Trump accused Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, both Democrats, of “inciting insurrection through arrogant, reckless, and dangerous statements.”
In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed that the man killed in Minnesota was armed with a loaded weapon and additional magazines and was prepared to use them. He also alleged that police officers were prevented from carrying out their duties, forcing ICE agents to protect themselves.
Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the actions of federal officers in a post on X, describing the shooting as an act of self-defense during an operation targeting what she called an undocumented migrant wanted by authorities.
She said an armed individual approached a patrol unit and attempted to seize a firearm, prompting an officer to open fire out of fear for his life and the safety of his colleagues.
However, Minneapolis’ police chief told NBC News that authorities believe more than one federal agent fired shots at the victim.
Earlier, Governor Walz confirmed that federal officers shot a man in Minneapolis on Saturday as part of what he described as the Trump administration’s ongoing campaign. In a social media post, Walz said he had contacted the White House following what he called a “horrific” shooting, urging President Trump to immediately end the federal operation in Minnesota and withdraw thousands of officers he described as violent and inadequately trained.
As tensions mounted, the Minnesota governor ordered the activation of the National Guard at the request of local authorities, according to US media reports.
At the federal level, Senate Democratic Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said he would vote against the Department of Homeland Security’s spending bill, stressing that the events in Minnesota were “horrifying and unacceptable in any American city.” He added that the proposed legislation fails to rein in what he described as abuses by ICE.
Source: Agencies (edited by Al-Manar)