By Cliff Potts, CSO, and Editor-in-Chief of WPS News

Baybay City, Leyte, Philippines — January 25, 2026

What Happened in South Minneapolis

On Saturday, January 24, 2026, federal officers involved in immigration enforcement shot and killed a U.S. citizen in south Minneapolis. Multiple outlets identify the deceased as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, 37, described as an ICU nurse and a lawful gun owner.

Federal authorities, through the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), stated that Pretti was armed and that an agent fired in what they described as self-defense after he allegedly resisted disarmament.

Video described by reporters and witnesses complicates the official narrative. Witness footage shows agents struggling with and striking Pretti before multiple shots were fired. A second video indicates the use of pepper spray prior to the shooting.

A Pattern: Multiple Shootings Linked to Federal Operations

This killing did not occur in isolation. Reporting describes it as the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen in Minneapolis during the current wave of federal immigration enforcement, following the January 7, 2026 killing of another U.S. citizen, Renee Good, during a federal operation.

Local reporting frames January 24 as the third shooting involving federal agents in Minneapolis in January alone, suggesting a rapid escalation of armed encounters connected to federal immigration activity.

The Investigation Fight: State Access Blocked

A central issue now is oversight and transparency. Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) publicly stated that it attempted to access the shooting scene but was blocked by DHS personnel.

In the earlier January 7 fatal shooting, the BCA reported it was later cut off from case materials and investigative access as the investigation moved under federal control.

For the public, the result is straightforward: a controversial killing by federal officers is being investigated primarily by federal institutions, while state investigators say they have been denied meaningful access. That structure increases mistrust, especially when video evidence circulates rapidly and official statements are contested.

Protests, Economic Pressure, and “ICE OUT” Mobilization

On Friday, January 23, large crowds protested the federal immigration surge and demanded that ICE leave Minnesota. Tens of thousands participated in Minneapolis events, including a rally at the Target Center and a broader “economic blackout” framed by organizers as a form of economic pressure.

Coordinated actions encouraged people to skip work, school, and shopping, with some businesses closing in solidarity and clergy participating in civil disobedience.

After the January 24 killing, protests intensified. Reports described mass demonstrations and public disruption, with the Minnesota National Guard mobilized to support local law enforcement as tensions escalated.

Federal Posture and Local Political Response

The federal operation in Minnesota has been described as a surge ordered by President Donald Trump, involving thousands of immigration agents deployed into the state.

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey issued a sharply worded statement condemning the federal operation and the killing, emphasizing the destabilizing effect of masked, heavily armed federal deployments operating with limited public accountability.

Governor Tim Walz condemned the killing and criticized the federal government’s obstruction of state investigative access.

What We Do Not Yet Know

Several facts remain contested or incomplete as of January 25, 2026:

  • Whether Pretti’s firearm was displayed, drawn, or used in a manner that created an imminent threat.
  • The number of rounds fired and whether more than one agent discharged a weapon.
  • The precise chain of events that led to the encounter, including whether Pretti was acting as an observer, bystander, or intervening during a separate enforcement action.
  • The scope and appropriateness of non-lethal force used prior to the shooting, including pepper spray and physical restraint.

These uncertainties are not academic. In a politically charged environment, gaps in verified information are where misinformation spreads fastest.

Analysis: Why This Matters Beyond Minneapolis

From a Philippines-first editorial perspective, Minneapolis is not simply local U.S. news. It is a case study in the risks that emerge when enforcement agencies operate at scale with weak transparency and contested oversight.

First, accountability structure matters as much as the incident itself. When state investigators say they are blocked from a scene and federal agencies investigate their own personnel, public trust collapses quickly—even if a later review claims policy compliance.

Second, video evidence accelerates political crisis. In modern information environments, official statements must compete with near-immediate footage. When force appears to be used before gunfire, self-defense claims face instant skepticism.

Third, economic protest tactics are re-emerging. The Minnesota “economic blackout” signals a shift from symbolic protest toward disruption-based pressure, a pattern seen globally when people believe institutions will not self-correct.

If the U.S. federal government cannot credibly demonstrate transparent, independently reviewable accountability in a high-profile domestic killing, it weakens its moral authority when commenting on state violence elsewhere. That erosion of credibility has international consequences.

For more social commentary, please see Occupy 2.5 at https://Occupy25.com

This essay will be archived as part of the ongoing WPS News Monthly Brief Series available through Amazon.

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