Local politicians, both Republicans and Democrats, are calling for federal transparency and expanded investigations following the fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by an ICE agent in Minneapolis over the weekend.
On Saturday, Jan. 24, federal immigration officers fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti after an altercation during a federal enforcement operation in the city.
According to the Associated Press, the Department of Homeland Security said the shooting is under investigation and Pretti was shot after he approached Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun.
In a public statement, U.S. Rep. Darin LaHood, R-Peoria, said the shooting raises serious concerns and warrants a full investigation.
“Exercising our First and Second Amendment rights is foundational to the American identity,” LaHood said in a Facebook post. “Yesterday’s shooting in Minneapolis is deeply concerning and demands a comprehensive and transparent investigation with full cooperation between federal, state, and local law enforcement.”
LaHood said he supports the overall mission of federal agents in U.S. cities, but any use of violence must come with accountability.
“With their authority, officers must be held to the highest professional and ethical standards to maintain public trust,” he said. “Any use of force must be lawful, justified and subject to full accountability.”
State Rep. Amy “Murri” Briel, D-Ottawa, criticized the shooting that followed the recent incident of Renee Nicole Good, who was also shot by federal agents in Minnesota.
“The last series of months have been nothing short of nightmarish,” Briel said in a statement. “The violence perpetrated by the federal government onto our own American citizens is not only heartbreaking, it’s simply unthinkable.”
U.S. Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Illinois, announced she will pursue legislation to force independent investigations into the use of deadly force by the agents involved.
According to a statement from her office, Duckworth believes the Department of Homeland Security failed to secure the scene following the shooting and attempted to block state authorities from investigating properly.
“This Administration has proven beyond a doubt that it cannot be trusted to conduct legitimate, unbiased investigations,” Duckworth said in a statement. “The American people deserve nothing less than the truth.”
The proposed amendment would require the inspector general to investigate all violent incidents tied to immigration enforcement operations since last year and coordinate with state and local law enforcement.
Pretti grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and was an ICU nurse in Minneapolis at the time of his death.