Bill Clinton urges Americans to 'speak up and defend' democracy after Alex Pretti shooting

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Protests against federal immigration enforcement intensified across Minneapolis as former President Bill Clinton condemned the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Jeffrey Pretti, calling recent scenes in the city “unacceptable” and a threat to American democracy.

As demonstrations continue against Operation Metro Surge, residents have accused federal authorities of carrying out a “militarised” crackdown, while investigations into the conduct of ICE agents involved in the shooting remain ongoing.

Bill Clinton condemns Minneapolis shootings

Clinton said the United States is facing a historic moment that will shape the nation for years, urging Americans to speak out and defend democratic freedoms in a statement posted on X.

The former president said horrible scenes had unfolded in Minneapolis and other cities “that I never thought would take place in America,” referencing peaceful protesters being “arrested, beaten, teargassed, and most searingly, in the cases of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, shot and killed.”

Clinton added, “All of this is unacceptable and should have been avoided. To make matters even worse, at every turn, the people in charge have lied to us, told us not to believe what we’ve seen with our own eyes, and pushed increasingly aggressive and antagonistic tactics, including impeding investigations by local authorities.”

Warning of long-term consequences, Clinton said moments like this define a nation’s future and called on citizens to take action.

“Over the course of a lifetime, we face only a few moments where the decisions we make, the actions we take, will shape our history for years to come. This is one of them. If we give our freedoms away after 250 years, we might never get them back,” he wrote.

“It is up to all of us who believe in the promise of American democracy to stand up, speak out, and show that our nation still belongs to We the people.”

Video footage questions federal account of shooting

Eyewitness footage circulating locally appeared to show Pretti holding only his phone before he was pepper-sprayed and pinned to the ground, raising questions about the government’s version of events. 

Pretti was shot multiple times and pronounced dead at the scene. State officials subsequently confirmed he had a lawful permit to carry the firearm.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz urged the Trump administration and the Department of Homeland Security to withdraw ICE and other federal officers from the state, saying he had spoken with the White House “after another horrific shooting by federal agents this morning."

“Minnesota has had it. This is sickening. The president must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now,” Walz wrote on X.

On January 26, Walz again called for the removal of federal agents, adding, “Minnesota believes in law and order. We believe in peace.”