Another ICE Killing in Minneapolis Sparks Outrage, Protests Ensue

Alex Pretti, a certified nurse, was killed by ICE officers over the weekend after they wrestled him down to the ground and fired multiple shots, sparking outrage.

Pretti, 37, had a degree in nursing and served as an ICU nurse at a Minneapolis veterans hospital, where he was known as a non-violent man with solid morals who took care of everyone. Others who knew him well said that he wanted to make a difference in the world, standing up for disadvantaged people and what he knew was right.

At the time of the incident, which was around 9 am local time on Saturday, Pretti was filming several ICE officers with his phone as they spoke to two people on the street. Suddenly, the officer shoved the two locals towards a white car, shuffling them across the roadway. In the process, the officer shoves one of the civilians to the ground, and Pretti steps in to prevent further violence. However, the ICE officer then discharges a can of pepper spray as Pretti attempts to help the fallen civilian stand back up.

Without warning, a charge of seven ICE officers surround Pretti, pinning him to the ground, while another man fires more pepper spray. Then, an eighth officer pulls Pretti's gun out of his pocket and moves to the side, allowing one of the original seven to pull out a separate firearm. This officer then fires four shots at Pretti before the agent who pepper sprayed him pulls out his respective gun and fires several times. In total, Pretti was hit by ten bullets while on the ground.

The Trump administration was quick to defend the ICE officers, accusing Pretti of approaching the officers with a handgun. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) labeled the agents' actions as "defensive shots," just as they did with the shooting of Renee Good in Minneapolis on January 8. Similarly, they also claimed Pretti was committing an "act of domestic terrorism" by "attacking" ICE officers and waving his handgun, which has been clearly disproved by video footage of the scene.

This characterization of the incident sparked outrage from citizens across the country, asserting that Pretti was clearly exercising his Second Amendment rights by having possession of the handgun, which was legally obtained. Additionally, footage taken by bystanders shows that Pretti never removed the gun from its holster, and another officer had actually removed the gun from the scene before the first shots were fired.

Apart from the handgun, many viewed Pretti's actions as completely innocent– he was exercising his First Amendment rights by videoing the ICE officers and attempted to help a civilian before he was fatally shot, posing no real threat to anyone.

Thousands of people quickly swarmed the ICE headquarters in Minneapolis, with locals braving frigid temperatures of as low as -10˚F as they held up signs and chanted for ICE to leave the state.

The Minnesota government is now suing the Trump administration, calling the deployment of ICE a violation of the 10th Amendment, which consigns any power not given to the federal government to state governments or the people.

Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The pumpkin is a member of the cucurbit family, which are gourds, such as cucumbers and squashes.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): He who is not everyday conquering some fear has not learned the secret of life. (Ralph Waldo Emerson)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Oaf (noun, OHF) - Oaf is used to refer to someone as big, clumsy, and slow-witted.

In a Sentence: The main character starts the movie as a tactless, bumbling oaf who is constantly causing offense to everyone around them, but eventually learns a valuable lesson about kindness and courtesy.

Image credit to France 24