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Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has classified the actions of Alex Pretti, a man killed in a Border Patrol-involved shooting in Minneapolis, as “domestic terrorism.” During a Saturday news conference at FEMA headquarters in Washington, D.C., Noem accused Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey of inciting violence against federal officers.
“When you perpetuate violence against a government because of ideological reasons and for reasons to resist and perpetuate violence, that is the definition of domestic terrorism,” Noem stated. “This individual who came with weapons and ammunition to stop a law enforcement operation of federal law enforcement officers committed an act of domestic terrorism. That’s the facts.”
According to Noem, the incident began while DHS officers were conducting “targeted operations” in Minneapolis against an undocumented immigrant with a criminal history including domestic assault, disorderly conduct, and driving without a valid license.
“An individual approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun,” Noem explained, noting that agents attempted to disarm him. “The officers attempted to disarm this individual, but the armed suspect reacted violently. Fearing for his life and for the lives of his fellow officers around him, an agent fired defensive shots.”
Despite medics’ efforts to render aid, the 37-year-old Pretti was pronounced dead at the scene. Noem claimed that Pretti had “two magazines with ammunition in them that held dozens of rounds” and carried no identification.
“This looks like a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement,” she asserted.
Following the shooting, significant unrest erupted in the area. “Hundreds of protesters then showed up at the scene,” Noem said. “They began to obstruct and to assault law enforcement officers. We saw objects being thrown at them, including ice and other objects, and a rampant assault began.”
In one violent altercation, a Homeland Security Investigation agent had a finger bitten off. Noem reported that crowd-control measures were subsequently deployed “to bring safety to the public and to law enforcement at the scene.”
The DHS Secretary placed blame squarely on Minnesota’s political leadership. “The Minnesota governor and the Minneapolis mayor need to take a long, hard look in the mirror,” she said. “They need to evaluate their rhetoric, their conversations, and their encouragement of such violence against our citizens and our law enforcement officers.”
Noem accused Governor Walz of undermining federal officers during his press conference, claiming he “said that our officers were not even law enforcement, which is a lie. He’s called them the Gestapo.” She further alleged that Walz had “encouraged residents and citizens and violent rioters to resist,” and claimed state leaders had exposed personal information of federal officers, “putting themselves and their families’ lives in jeopardy.”
When asked whether President Trump was considering invoking the Insurrection Act in response to the unrest, Noem did not rule out the possibility. “The president will use every tool that he needs to follow through on his promises to the American people,” she stated.
Despite objections from state and local leaders, Noem emphasized that the Trump administration would continue operations in Minneapolis. “We’re going to treat Minneapolis exactly the way that we have treated every other city across this country,” she said, referencing immigration enforcement operations like Operation Metro Surge currently underway nationwide.
Noem confirmed that DHS is investigating the shooting “just like we do all other officer-involved shootings,” and indicated that additional details would be released as the investigation continues.
The confrontation in Minneapolis represents an escalation in tensions between federal immigration enforcement agencies and local jurisdictions that have been critical of aggressive immigration policies. The incident occurs amid nationwide immigration enforcement operations and highlights the deep political divisions surrounding federal immigration enforcement tactics.
The White House did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding Noem’s remarks.
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7 Comments
This is a concerning incident. We need to understand all the facts before jumping to conclusions about ‘domestic terrorism’. De-escalation and proportional force should always be the priority when dealing with volatile situations involving law enforcement.
Noem’s statements seem politically charged. I’d like to hear more objective analysis from law enforcement and legal experts before forming an opinion on this incident. Inflammatory rhetoric from politicians is rarely helpful in these cases.
Classifying this incident as ‘domestic terrorism’ seems premature without a full investigation. I’m curious to learn more about the suspect’s background and motivations before drawing any conclusions.
This is a concerning development, but I’d hesitate to label it ‘domestic terrorism’ without more information. I hope the authorities can provide a clear, impartial account of what happened and the suspect’s intent.
This is a complex issue with many nuances. I hope investigators can shed light on the suspect’s motives and actions to determine the appropriate legal classification, if any. Rushing to judgment helps no one.
While the actions of the suspect seem troubling, I’m hesitant to label this as ‘domestic terrorism’ without more details. We should be careful with such serious accusations and allow the investigation to unfold.
Domestic terrorism is an extremely serious charge. I think we need more facts before making that determination. The public deserves a thorough, unbiased account of what transpired.