Minnesota CEOs seek de-escalation after shootings in Minneapolis
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Mourners gathering at a makeshift memorial in the area where Mr Alex Pretti was shot dead a day earlier by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan 25.
PHOTO: AFP
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MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota – More than 60 chief executives of Minnesota-based companies called for an immediate “de-escalation of tensions” between state, local and federal authorities as the state reels from another fatal shooting of an American by immigration agents.
The CEOs of companies, including Target, Best Buy, Land O’Lakes, Cargill, General Mills, UnitedHealth Group, as well as professional sports teams such as the Minnesota Vikings and the Minnesota Timberwolves, were among the signatories to a letter shared on Jan 25 by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce.
“For the past several weeks, representatives of Minnesota’s business community have been working every day behind the scenes with federal, state and local officials to advance real solutions,” the letter said.
“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.”
The letter came after Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis shot and killed Mr Alex Pretti
He had a permit to carry a weapon, which the agents found on him before the killing.
Earlier in January, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents shot and killed Ms Renee Good
Federal agents are in Minneapolis as part of US President Donald Trump’s immigrant crackdown.
This has amplified protests across the state of Minnesota against the crackdown.
Hours after the shooting, Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino claimed, without presenting evidence, that Mr Pretti had impeded and assaulted the federal officers in what they claimed was an act of domestic terrorism.
The agents involved in Mr Pretti’s killing were “most likely” being placed on administrative leave and sent from Minneapolis, Mr Bovino said Jan 25 on CNN’s State Of The Union.
He reiterated his defence of Border Patrol officers’ actions as justified.
State and city officials repeated their calls for the federal officers to leave and demanded that Minnesota’s authorities take over the investigation into Mr Pretti’s death.
Mr Bovino said the immigrant that agents were seeking when they grabbed Mr Pretti remained at large.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz accused the agents of engaging in “extra-judicial law enforcement” rather than focusing on immigration enforcement.
Minnesota Attorney-General Keith Ellison told reporters on Jan 25 that he was “deeply concerned” about the preservation of evidence related to Mr Pretti’s shooting after state investigators were denied access to the crime scene.
Mr Ellison said state officials sought and received a restraining order requiring federal officials to preserve evidence.
Mr Walz said at a press conference: “At this point in time, I’m just asking to try for a moment to set aside the political side of it and go back and ground in the humanity of this.
“This family has gone through enough, and to have the most powerful man in the world drag their dead son with absolutely no evidence, and gaslight the entire country, this is enough.” BLOOMBERG
