Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Saturday that the 37-year-old man shot and killed by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis intended to “kill law enforcement” and that agents “fired defensive shots” to protect themselves.
Noem made the remarks during an evening press conference, where she also criticized Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, accusing them of “encouragement” of violence against federal immigration officers. She said their rhetoric is endangering both agents and protesters.
According to Noem, Border Patrol officers were carrying out an operation to apprehend a violent illegal immigrant when the man who was shot, identified as Alex Pretti, intervened.
“An individual approached officers with a 9-millimeter semi-automatic handgun,” Noem said. “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.”
She added that Pretti had two magazines of ammunition and no identification. “It looks like a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and kill law enforcement,” she said.
Her account immediately drew pushback. CNN anchor Jake Tapper responded by posting the video of the incident and asking, “Is that what you see?” Noem’s comments echoed statements made earlier by Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino, who claimed Pretti sought to cause “maximum damage” and “massacre” immigration agents.
She went on to criticize Walz and Frey over their responses to the recent shootings, including the earlier death of Renee Good. “The Minnesota governor and the Minneapolis mayor need to take a long, hard look in the mirror,” Noem said. “They need to evaluate their rhetoric and conversations and the encouragement of such violence against our citizens and law enforcement officers.”
She pointed to Walz’s comment Saturday that Border Patrol officers were “not law enforcement,” as well as his earlier remark calling ICE “Donald Trump’s modern-day Gestapo.” Noem also accused Minnesota officials of refusing to cooperate with federal authorities.
“They have refused to turn over murderers… and [have] protected illegal criminals from being brought to justice,” she said, contrasting the state with Texas and Florida.
“In Minneapolis, Governor Walz and Mayor Frey they instead choose violence. They instead choose to encourage the destruction of their city and crime against their people. It appears they want this lawlessness to continue. It appears they want chaos to distract from the threat and fraud and corruption of their city.”
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