Protests Erupts Into Chaos After Armed Man Shot Dead in Federal Clash, Video Shows • Jewish Breaking News

A chaotic confrontation between federal immigration officers and protesters in south Minneapolis turned deadly Saturday morning when a man carrying a handgun became entangled in a struggle with agents and was ultimately shot multiple times, according to federal officials and widely shared video.

The incident erupted as officers were conducting an operation in the area. Footage shows a frantic struggle unfolding in the open as agents attempted to restrain a man while crowds swarmed the scene and shouting intensified.

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Authorities later identified the man as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, 37, a Minneapolis resident. The Department of Homeland Security claims Pretti approached officers armed with a 9mm pistol, and that agents attempted to gain control of the weapon before one officer fired several rounds at close range. Pretti was pronounced dead at the scene.

Video from the encounter appears to show Pretti violently resisting, repeatedly trying to rise back to his feet, and — around the :27 mark — moving his hand toward the area of his waistband/holster as agents attempt to pin him down and regain control. 

The shooting immediately ignited outrage and supercharged demonstrations across the city. Officials said the protest quickly escalated into an unlawful assembly, with federal agents deploying tear gas as clashes intensified into the afternoon.

During the unrest, authorities reported serious injuries to law enforcement personnel — including one officer who reportedly lost part of a finger amid the violence.

By the afternoon demonstrators were reported to have taken over major streets, forcing law enforcement to pull back and retreat from several flashpoints as control of the scene deteriorated. Now the city is holding its breath, hoping Minneapolis doesn’t relive the “summer of love” of 2020, when the George Floyd riots spiraled into mass arson, looting, and entire commercial blocks reduced to rubble.

The one potential saving grace: the weather. With wind chills expected to plunge to around minus 20 degrees, the deep freeze may be the only thing capable of slowing the chaos before it gets worse.