As Minneapolis reels after a second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen at the hands of federal agents, some Republicans have joined their Democrat colleagues in calling for a full, urgent investigation into what happened.
Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse at a VA hospital, was shot on Saturday morning after being surrounded by U.S. Border Patrol agents amid ongoing protests against President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in the city. Viral videos show Pretti being sprayed with a substance and pinned to the ground, though he is not seen holding a handgun in the footage. The Department of Homeland Security stated that Pretti had “approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun.” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed that Pretti was a lawful gun owner. White House adviser Stephen Miller called him a “would-be assassin.”
President Trump appeared to criticise Pretti for bringing a firearm, telling the Wall Street Journal: “I don’t like any shooting. I don’t like it. But I don’t like it when somebody goes into a protest and he’s got a very powerful, fully loaded gun with two magazines.” Trump said his administration is “reviewing everything” and announced sending his border czar, Tom Homan, to Minnesota to report directly to him.
Trump also blamed Democratic leaders for creating “chaos” in the city, pointing to previous shootings and claiming local authorities had “called off” police intervention. Democratic Governor Tim Walz called on Americans to focus on the human side of the tragedy, urging Trump to remove untrained federal agents from Minneapolis.
Despite Trump’s remarks, a growing number of Republican lawmakers have urged a transparent investigation. Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska called for a “comprehensive, independent investigation” to rebuild public trust, warning that “ICE agents do not have carte blanche in carrying out their duties.” Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana said the incident was “incredibly disturbing” and called for a joint federal and state inquiry.
Senator Susan Collins of Maine said the shooting should be “thoroughly and transparently investigated” and highlighted the importance of equipping federal agents with proper training and body cameras. Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina stressed the need for an uninterrupted and impartial investigation, urging transparency between federal, state, and local authorities.
Other officials echoed the call for accountability. Senator Pete Ricketts of Nebraska emphasized core American values, including the right to protest, while Representative Michael McCaul of Texas stressed maintaining public confidence in the justice system. Governors Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma and Phil Scott of Vermont criticised the federal operations as poorly coordinated and potentially dangerous, calling for a pause and de-escalation.
The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti has intensified scrutiny over federal immigration enforcement tactics, highlighting deep divisions in Washington over both public safety and political accountability. Lawmakers from both parties are pressing for answers as Minneapolis grapples with the second citizen death in federal operations in just three weeks.