Senior officials in US President Donald Trump’s administration have defended the fatal shooting of a US citizen by immigration agents in Minneapolis, even as video evidence contradicted their version of events and tensions increased between local law enforcement and federal agents.
As residents visited a makeshift shrine with flowers and candles in frigid temperatures and snow to mark Saturday’s fatal shooting of Alex Pretti — the second fatal shooting by federal officers in Minneapolis this month — the Trump administration argued that Pretti had attacked officers and forced them to shoot in self-defense.
U.S. Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino, appearing on CNN, could not provide evidence that Pretti tried to impede a law enforcement operation, instead focusing on the fact that the 37-year-old nurse was carrying a gun, for which he was licensed.
“The victims are Border Patrol agents,” Bovino said. “Law enforcement is not attacking anyone.”
Bovino and U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem accused Pretti of assaulting the officers, inciting a riot and obstructing them.
“We do know that he arrived on scene and obstructed a law enforcement operation, which is against federal law,” Noem told Fox News’ Sunday Briefing program. “It’s a criminal offense. When he did that, interacting with those officers, when they tried to get him to back off, he became aggressive and resisted them.”
That official line, echoed by other Trump officials on Sunday, sparked outrage among local law enforcement, many in Minneapolis and Democrats in Washington, over bystander videos that appear to show a different version of events.
Holding a phone, not a gun
Videos from the scene verified and reviewed by Reuters show Pretti holding a phone, not a gun, as he tries to help other protesters pushed to the ground by officers.
As the videos begin, Pretti is seen as a federal agent pushes a woman away and pushes another woman to the ground. Pretti moves between the officer and the women and then raises his left arm to protect himself as the officer pepper sprays him.
Several officers then grab Pretti – who is struggling with them – and force him onto his hands and knees. As the officers pin Pretti down, someone shouts what sounds like a warning about the presence of a gun.
Video footage then appears to show one of the officers removing a gun from Pretti and walking away from the group with it.
Moments later, an officer pointed a gun at Pretti’s back and fired four shots at him in quick succession. Several more shots are then heard as another officer appears to shoot at Pretti.
Barack Obama, Democratic Senators Condemn the Shooting
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara told CBS that “the videos speak for themselves,” adding that the Trump administration’s version of events was “deeply disturbing.”
He said he saw no evidence that Pretti was brandishing a gun.
Tensions were already high in the city after a federal agent shot and killed US citizen Renée Good on January 7.
Trump officials claim she tried to ram the officer with her car, but other observers have argued that bystander video indicates she was trying to stay away from the officer who shot her.
Federal authorities have refused to allow local officials to participate in their investigation into the incident.
Former Democratic US President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama said in a statement that many of America’s core values are under attack.
“The President and current administration officials appear eager to escalate the situation as they provide public explanations for the shootings of Mr. Pretti and Renee Good, which are unaware of any serious investigation – and which appear to be directly contradicted by video evidence,” they said.
“This has got to stop.”
U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat, told ABC News that Trump’s influx of federal agents into Minneapolis was “completely out of control and out of balance” and that they should leave Minnesota. She described Pretti’s shooting as “simply horrific.”
The deaths of Good and Pretti have sparked major protests in the Democratic-run city.
A woman wearing nurse’s scrubs ventured out in Sunday’s frigid temperatures to pay tribute to Pretti, who she said worked with her. When asked what brought her out, the woman began to sob.
“He was caring and kind. None of this makes sense,” said the woman, who asked not to be named and said she feared retaliation from the federal government.
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