News Beat
Minnesota protesters bit off federal agent’s finger during protest, DHS claims
A Minneapolis protester allegedly bit off a Homeland Security agent’s finger on Saturday, the same day a Border Patrol officer fatally shot ICU nurse Alex Pretti, Department of Homeland Security officials said.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin shared graphic photos on X showing the officer’s bleeding finger alongside the severed portion preserved in a jar.
“In Minneapolis, these rioters attacked our law enforcement officer and one of them bit off our HSI officer’s finger,” McLaughlin wrote. “He will lose his finger.”
She also posted images of two individuals allegedly involved in the attack, though their roles and identities remain unclear.
President Donald Trump reshared McLaughlin’s posts on Truth Social but did not comment directly on the incident at the time of publication.
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The incidents come amid escalating protests in Minneapolis following a series of violent encounters during federal immigration enforcement operations, which have already resulted in the deaths of two U.S. citizens. Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, was shot and killed Saturday morning by federal agents during an immigration operation.
Pretti, a U.S. citizen with no criminal record beyond minor traffic offenses, had been taking part in protests against the federal crackdown when he became involved in a confrontation with multiple officers.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed Pretti’s identity and said he was a lawful gun owner with a carry permit.
Federal authorities, including DHS, claimed that Pretti approached Border Patrol agents armed with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun and two magazines and “violently resisted” attempts to disarm him, prompting an officer to fire in what officials described as defensive action. Border Patrol leadership characterized the encounter as one in which the individual appeared intent on causing maximum harm.
However, local officials and bystander video present a more nuanced picture, showing Pretti being wrestled to the ground and struggling with multiple agents before he was shot. Questions remain about the precise circumstances of the shooting, including the presence and use of his firearm at the time.
Pretti’s death marks the second fatal shooting by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis in less than three weeks, following the killing of 37-year-old Renee Nicole Good during a separate incident, and another man being shot in the leg while fleeing immigration officials days later.
