Minneapolis CEOs Urge De-escalation After Fatal Shooting by Border Patrol Agent (Connecting the Dots: Target, 3M, UnitedHealth Group, Keith Ellison, Chuck Schumer, The Nation of Islam, Minnesota, Elaine Chao, The American Action Forum & Soros Funding, All Networking)
Officials said a Border Patrol
agent fired during a struggle to disarm a suspect during an immigration
enforcement operation.
The Epoch Times
Tom Ozimek Reporter
1/26/2026|Updated: 1/26/2026
A coalition of Minnesota’s biggest
employers—including Target,
3M, and UnitedHealth
Group—issued a
joint appeal on Jan. 25, calling for a de-escalation of tensions following the
fatal shooting of a 37-year-old man by a Border Patrol agent during an
immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis.
The open letter,
circulated by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and signed by more than 60 CEOs
and civic leaders, said Minnesota has faced “widespread disruption and tragic
loss of life” in recent weeks and urged “peace and focused cooperation among
local, state and federal leaders” to help restore stability.
“With yesterday’s tragic news, we
are calling for an immediate de-escalation of tensions and for state, local and
federal officials to work together to find real solutions,” the coalition wrote
in the letter.
The business community’s appeal for
calm followed the fatal
shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, 37, on Jan. 24 as Border Patrol
agents conducted an arrest in Minneapolis. The Department of Homeland Security
(DHS) said
agents were attempting to apprehend an illegal immigrant wanted for “violent
assault” when Pretti approached them. The DHS said Pretti had a “9 mm
semi-automatic handgun,” no identification, and was carrying two additional
magazines.
“The officers attempted to disarm
the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted,” DHS said, adding that an
agent fired “defensive shots” after fearing for his life and the safety of
other officers. DHS said medics provided medical aid, but Pretti was pronounced
dead at the scene.
Videos from the scene circulating
on social media appear to show
Pretti holding an object in his hand as he struggles with agents.
His family said in a statement shared
by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) that Pretti was “clearly not holding a gun” but
instead had “his phone in his right hand, and his empty left hand is raised
above his head.”
Pretti’s parents identified him as
an intensive care unit nurse and said he was a “kindhearted soul who cared
deeply for his family and friends” and a “good man.”
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian
O’Hara said Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.
Tensions Flare
The incident comes amid ongoing
protests against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in Minneapolis and
rising tensions following the earlier fatal shooting of U.S citizen Renee Good
during a separate immigration operation.
Videos circulating online have
raised questions about the latest shooting, including footage that
appears to show a federal agent removing an item—possibly a firearm—from
Pretti’s waist area and turning to walk away with it just before Pretti was
shot. In an interview
with Fox News on Jan. 25, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem was asked by
reporter Peter Doocey about the footage purportedly showing “an officer
removing a weapon” from Pretti, with Noem saying investigators would review all
angles and evidence before reaching any conclusions.
“Every video will be analyzed,
everything will be looked at,” Noem said, adding that the encounter unfolded
“in seconds” and that officers “clearly feared for their lives.”
Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino defended
the operation and accused Pretti of “actively impeding and assaulting law
enforcement,” telling
CNN in an interview that investigators would determine what happened between
the initial encounter and the fatal shots.
President Donald Trump said his
administration is reviewing the shooting and will announce the findings in due
course.
“We’re looking, we’re reviewing
everything, and will come out with a determination,” Trump told The Wall Street Journal in a Jan. 25 interview.
Police Chiefs Seek
Meeting, Judge Orders Evidence Preserved
The Minnesota Chiefs of Police
Association (MCPA) said it has requested a meeting with Trump to discuss escalating
public safety pressures in Minnesota, describing the moment as one requiring
stability and professionalism.
“Minnesota’s law enforcement
officers are facing growing challenges in fulfilling their core
responsibilities of protecting life, enforcing the law, and serving communities
in accordance with constitutional principles,” the association said
in a Jan. 25 statement.
The MCPA said it is seeking a
“constructive and timely” dialogue as law enforcement professionals operate in
“complex, high-pressure environments” while local communities are seeking
“reassurance, clarity, and stability.”
The group said public safety
depends on coordination across all levels of government, and urged leaders to
communicate responsibly to ease tensions.
A federal judge has
ordered the Trump administration to preserve all evidence related to
the Pretti shooting after Minnesota investigators and prosecutors sought an
emergency restraining order, arguing that federal officials had removed or
taken exclusive custody of key materials from the scene.
U.S. District Judge Eric Tostrud
barred DHS officials and other federal agencies from “destroying or altering
evidence related to the fatal shooting,” including evidence that was allegedly
removed from the scene or placed in exclusive federal custody.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia
McLaughlin rejected suggestions that federal authorities would destroy
evidence, telling The Epoch Times in an emailed statement that such claims are
ridiculous.
“Any claim that the federal
government would ‘destroy’ evidence is a ridiculous attempt to divide the
American people and distract from the fact that our law enforcement officers
were attacked—and their lives were threatened—yesterday,” McLaughlin said.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith
Ellison called for an independent investigation, saying federal agents “are not
above the law” and that a full and transparent review is “non-negotiable.”
Keith Ellison
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keith_Ellison
Keith
Maurice Ellison (born
August 4, 1963) is an American politician and lawyer serving since 2019 as the
30th attorney general of Minnesota.
From 2007 to 2019, Ellison was the U.S. representative for Minnesota's 5th congressional
district, representing the Minneapolis region.
He also served as Deputy Chair of the Democratic National Committee from
2017 to 2018 and was a member of the Minnesota House of Representatives from
2003 to 2007. He is a member of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL).
A progressive, Ellison
served as vice-chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus and
a chief deputy whip during his congressional tenure. Ellison was the
first Muslim elected
to Congress and the first African
American representative from Minnesota.[1][2] He
garnered national attention in his campaign in the 2017
Democratic National Committee chairmanship election, gaining support
from progressive groups and U.S. senators Bernie
Sanders and Chuck Schumer. His candidacy prompted renewed
scrutiny of his past statements and affiliation with the Nation of Islam, which drew criticism from some
moderate Democrats. Ellison lost to Tom Perez,
who subsequently appointed Ellison deputy chair.[3]
Ellison was elected attorney
general of Minnesota in 2018. He is the first
African American elected to partisan statewide office in Minnesota and the
first Muslim
in the U.S. to win statewide office.[4][5] He
was reelected in 2022 with 50.4% of
the vote.
Connecting the Dots:
Charles E. Schumer is
the Senate Minority leader and Richard J. Durbin’s Washington
Housemate.
Richard J. Durbin is Charles
E. Schumer’s Washington housemate, a U.S. Senate senator
and a member of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility
and Reform.
National
Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform is a paid for staff by
the Economic Policy Institute.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Economic
Policy Institute.
George Soros was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society, a
benefactor for the Human Rights Watch and is the founder &
chairman for the Open Society Foundations.
Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Economic
Policy Institute.
Keith Ellison is
a director at the Economic Policy Institute, a member of the U.S.
House of Representatives and has an affiliation with the Nation of Islam.
Louis Farrakhan is the acting head for the Nation of Islam, his nephew is Hakeem Jeffries, was awarded the 2007 Jeremiah Wright Jr. Trumpeter award from Trumpeter Newsmagazine.
Trumpeter Newsmagazine is a publication for the Trinity United
Church of Christ (Chicago).
Jeremiah A.
Wright Jr. is the senior pastor for the Trinity United Church
of Christ (Chicago) and was a member of the African American
Religious Leadership Committee.
African
American Religious Leadership Committee was an advisory group for
the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign.
Barack Obama was
the candidate for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign and
a parishioner at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).
Oprah Winfrey was
a supporter for the 2008 Barack Obama presidential campaign and
a parishioner at the Trinity United Church of Christ (Chicago).
Michelle Obama was
an advocate for the ONE Campaign.
International
Rescue Committee is a partner with the ONE Campaign.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the International
Rescue Committee.
George Soros was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Madeleine K. Albright was an overseer at the International Rescue Committee and a professor at Georgetown University.
Hakeem Jeffries received his MPP
from Georgetown University, was in private practice at the law firm
Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison and is an American
politician and attorney who has served as House
minority leader, leader of the
House Democratic Caucus since 2023.
David M. Rubenstein was a partner at Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, spent Thanksgiving with Joe Biden, is the president of the Economic Club of Washington and a co-chairman for the Brookings Institution (think tank).
James A. Johnson is an honorary trustee at the Brookings
Institution (think tank), a director at the Target Corporation
and was a director at the UnitedHealth Group Inc.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Brookings
Institution (think tank).
George Soros was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Vernon E. Jordan
Jr. was the president of the Economic Club of Washington, is
an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) a
senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP and
a director at the Target Corporation.
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP is the lobby firm for the 3M Co. and the Center for American Progress.
Open Society Foundations was
a funder for the Center for American Progress (think tank).
George Soros is
the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a
supporter for the Center for American Progress (think tank).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Center
for American Progress (think tank).
Center for American Progress was a funder for the America's Health Insurance Plans.
Tom Daschle is the chairman for the Center for American
Progress and was an adviser at the UnitedHealth Group Inc.
Jeannine M. Rivet is
the EVP for the UnitedHealth Group Inc. and was a director at
the America's Health Insurance Plans.
James
A. Johnson was a director at the UnitedHealth Group Inc., a
trustee at the Committee for Economic Development, is an honorary
trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a director at
the Target Corporation.
Letitia
James is
the chair for the Committee on Economic Development and the
Attorney General of New York.
Donna E. Shalala is
a trustee at the Committee for Economic Development, was a fellow
at the Brookings Institution (think tank) and a director at
the UnitedHealth Group Inc.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Committee
for Economic Development and the Brookings Institution (think tank).
George Soros was the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Carol A. Melton was a trustee at the Committee for Economic
Development and a director at the Economic Club of Washington and
Robert G.
Liberatore was a trustee at the Committee for Economic
Development and a director at the Economic Club of Washington.
Vernon E. Jordan
Jr. was the president of the Economic Club of Washington, is
an honorary trustee at the Brookings Institution (think tank) a
senior counsel for Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP and
a director at the Target Corporation.
Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld, LLP is the lobby firm for the 3M Co. and the Center for American Progress.
Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Center
for American Progress (think tank) and the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea
Clinton Foundation.
George Soros is
the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society and a
supporter for the Center for American Progress (think tank).
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder
for the Center for American Progress (think tank).
Mark Dayton was
a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation and
the Minnesota state government governor.
Norm Coleman was
a solicitor general for the Minnesota state government and is a
board member for the American Action Forum.
Frederic V. Malek is
the chairman for the American Action Forum, a trustee at the Aspen
Institute (think tank) and a member of the Alfalfa Club.
Bloomberg
Family Foundation was a funder for the Bill, Hillary &
Chelsea Clinton Foundation and the Aspen Institute (think tank).
Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Bill,
Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.
George Soros is
the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations, was
the chairman for the Foundation to Promote Open Society.
Foundation to Promote Open Society was a funder for the Aspen
Institute (think tank).
Bloomberg Family Foundation was a funder for the Aspen Institute (think tank).
Jeb Bush was a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation,
a board member for the American Action Forum, and is a member of
the Alfalfa Club.
Frederic V. Malek is
the chairman for the American Action Forum, a trustee at the Aspen
Institute (think tank), and a member of the Alfalfa Club.
Norm Coleman is
a board member for the American Action Forum and was a solicitor
general for the Minnesota state government.
Mark Dayton was the Minnesota state government governor, Tina Smith was his chief of staff and was a funder for the Bill, Hillary & Chelsea Clinton Foundation.
Tina Smith was Mark Dayton’s chief of staff and a VP for
the Planned Parenthood Federation of America.
Open Society Foundations was a funder for the Planned
Parenthood Federation of America.
George Soros is
the founder & chairman for the Open Society Foundations.
Bloomberg
Family Foundation was a funder for the Planned Parenthood
Federation of America.
Elaine L. Chao was
a director at the Bloomberg Family Foundation, a board member for
the American Action Forum and is married to Addison M.
(Mitch) McConnell.
Norm Coleman is
a board member for the American Action Forum and was a solicitor
general for the Minnesota state government.
Resources: Past
Research
Haim Saban ‘Deeply
Disturbed’ by Obama’s ‘Biased’ Actions Against Israel (Past
Research on Keith Ellison & the Nation of Islam)
Thursday, January 5, 2017
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2017/01/haim-saban-deeply-disturbed-by-obamas.html
Schumer Demands
Trump Fire 'Stubborn,' 'Pigheaded' RFK Jr. (Connecting the Dots: Senate
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, Richard Durbin, Josh Isay, Michael Bloomberg, Al
Sharpton, The CDC & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on Richard Durbin & Chuck Schumer)
Saturday, August 30, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/08/schumer-demands-trump-fire-stubborn.html
Schumer, Jeffries
Want to Meet With Trump Before President Goes to Asia (Connecting the Dots:
Chuck Schumer, Hakeem Jeffries, Obamacare, Louis Farrakhan, Al Sharpton, Jerome
Powell, Letitia James & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on the Hakeem Jeffries)
Tuesday, October 21, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/10/schumer-jeffries-want-to-meet-with.html
Smaller Bites –
Connecting the Dots: Utah, The Target Corporation, LGBTQ & Soros Funding,
All Networking (Past Research on Target)
Tuesday, May 30, 2023
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2023/05/smaller-bites-connecting-dots-utah.html
Powell: Fed to
Stay on Hold Amid Economic Uncertainty (Connecting the Dots: The Commercial
Club of Chicago, The University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business, The
Economic Club of Washington, The Carlyle Group, Jerome Powell, The Federal
Reserve, The Economist & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on the Economic Club of Washington)
Monday, August 4, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/08/powell-fed-to-stay-on-hold-amid.html
Look which
companies dumping Boy Scouts (Past Research of the
3M Co.)
Thursday, February 7, 2013
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2013/02/look-which-companies-dumping-boy-scouts.html
Trump Says He May
Travel to Middle East on Sunday for Next Stage of Gaza Peace Talks (Connecting
the Dots: The Middle East, Egypt, Sidley Austin LLP, Barack Obama, Cameron
Kerry & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past
Research on the Center for American Progress)
Wednesday, October 8, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/10/trump-says-he-may-travel-to-middle-east.html
Brian Thompson
Biography (Connecting the Dots: UnitedHealthcare, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC),
Medicare, Medicaid, The America's Health Insurance Plans, The Center for
American Progress, Obamacare, The Committee for Economic Development &
Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on
the Center for American Progress, the Committee for Economic Development &
the UnitedHealth Group Inc)
Monday, May 5, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/05/brian-thompson-biography-connecting.html
New York AG
Letitia James Indicted on Federal Charges (Connecting the Dots: Letitia James,
Fannie Mae, Judge Arthur Engoron, Judge Sparkle Leah Sooknanan, Judge Juan
Merchan, Lisa Cook, The Committee for Economic Development & Soros Funding,
All Networking) (Past Research on the Committee for
Economic Development & Letitia James)
Thursday,
October 9, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/10/new-york-ag-letitia-james-indicted-on.html
Letitia
James – Biography (Connecting the Dots: Letitia James, The Committee for
Economic Development & Soros Funding, All Networking) (Past Research on Letitia James, The Committee for
Economic Development & the Economic Club of Washington)
Saturday,
June 28, 2025
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2025/06/letitia-james-biography-connecting-dots.html
Minnesota
Gov Appoints Former Planned Parenthood VP to Franken’s Seat (Past Research on Elaine Chao & the American Action
Forum)
Thursday,
December 14, 2017
https://thesteadydrip.blogspot.com/2017/12/minnesota-gov-appoints-former-planned.html
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