Senior officials in United States President Donald Trump's administration have defended the fatal shooting of a US citizen by immigration agents in Minneapolis, even as video evidence contradicts their version of events and tensions grow between local law enforcement and federal officers.
As residents visited a makeshift shrine of flowers and candles in frigid temperatures and snow to mark Saturday's killing of Alex Pretti — the second shooting death by federal officers in Minneapolis this month — the Trump administration argued that Pretti assaulted officers, compelling them to fire in self-defence.
US border patrol chief Gregory Bovino, appearing on CNN, couldn't offer evidence that Pretti was trying to impede a law enforcement operation, but focused on the fact that the 37-year-old nurse was carrying a gun, which he had a licence to carry.
"The victims are border patrol agents," Bovino said.
"Law enforcement doesn't assault anyone."
Bovino and US homeland security secretary Kristi Noem accused Pretti of assaulting the agents, rioting and obstructing them.
"We do know that he came to that scene and impeded a law enforcement operation, which is against federal law," Noem told Fox News' Sunday Briefing.
"It's a felony. When he did that, interacting with those agents, when they tried to get him to disengage, he became aggressive and resisted them."
That official line, echoed by other Trump officials on Sunday, triggered outrage from local law enforcement, many in Minneapolis and Democrats in Washington, because of bystander videos that appear to show a different version of events.
Holding a phone, not a gun
Videos from the scene verified and reviewed by Reuters showed Pretti holding a phone in his hand, not a gun, as he tries to help other protesters who have been pushed to the ground by agents.
As the videos begin, Pretti can be seen filming as a federal agent pushes away one woman and shoves another woman to the ground. Pretti moves between the agent and the women, then raises his left arm to shield himself as the agent pepper-sprays him.
Several agents then take hold of Pretti — who struggles with them — and force him onto his hands and knees. As the agents pin down Pretti, someone shouts what sounds like a warning about the presence of a gun.
Video footage then appears to show one of the agents removing a gun from Pretti and stepping away from the group with it.
Moments later, an officer with a handgun pointed at Pretti's back and fired four shots at him in quick succession. Several more shots can then be heard as another agent appears to fire at Pretti.
Alex Pretti's parents say 'sickening lies' being told about their son
On Saturday, Pretti's parents said they were both "heartbroken but also very angry" at their son's death and the claims made by Trump officials in the aftermath.
In a statement, they described him as a "kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends" and the patients he cared for as an ICU nurse at a hospital for veterans.
"The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting," Pretti's parents said.
They added that their son was "clearly not holding a gun" in the footage that has circulated of the incident.
Barack and Michelle Obama criticise shooting
Minneapolis police chief Brian O'Hara told CBS that "the videos speak for themselves", adding the Trump administration version of events was "deeply disturbing".
He said he had seen no evidence that Pretti brandished a gun.
Tensions in the city were already running high after a federal agent fatally shot US citizen Renee Good on 7 January.
Trump officials claim she was trying to ram the agent with her car, but other observers have argued that bystander video suggests she was trying to steer away from the officer who shot her.
Federal authorities have refused to allow local officials to participate in their investigation of the incident.
Former Democratic US president Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama issued a statement saying many of America's core values were under assault.
"The president and current administration officials seem eager to escalate the situation, while offering public explanations for the shootings of Mr Pretti and Renee Good that aren't informed by any serious investigation — and that appear to be directly contradicted by video evidence," they said.
"This has to stop."
Minnesota governor Tim Walz posed a question directly to Trump during a press briefing on Sunday, asking: "What's the plan, Donald Trump?"
"What do we need to do to get these federal agents out of our state?"
Trump has attributed the deaths of Pretti and Good to Minnesota's Democratic elected officials, including Walz and Minneapolis mayor Jacob Frey, without providing evidence.
"Democrat run Sanctuary Cities and States are REFUSING to cooperate with ICE," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. "Tragically, two American citizens have lost their lives as a result of this Democrat ensued chaos."
The deaths of Good and Pretti have sparked large protests in the Democrat-run city.
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