Senior journalist provides chilling account of the ICE chaos unfolding

Protestors in Minneapolis turn up the heat on immigration officers

Veteran journalist Rich Matthews says Minneapolis remains tense after the shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers on Saturday.

“The city “exploded after the shooting was confirmed, with thousands of people, estimated at more than 50 000, gathering at the intersection where Pretti was shot, apparently while going to the aid of a woman who had allegedly been knocked down by an agent.

Matthews was speaking to Context Corner host BJ Lewis from Minneapolis, where he watched first-hand as the drama began to unfold since the beginning of the month.

“Although Pretti had a licensed fireman with him, to say that he went there with the intention of shooting it out with agents, that’s clearly not true. If you watched the video, he was frustrated; he was helping a woman who’d been knocked down by an agent, and that’s what his father said he said. this is a guy who saves lives, tries to save lives every day in his job, and he was out there trying to save this woman on the street,’ said Matthews.

The killing comes less than three weeks after Renee Good was shot dead by an immigration agent in the city. Yesterday, protestors laid wreaths in memory of the slain nurse.

Context Corner correspondent Matthews, who is on assignment in Minneapolis with Reuters, describes the situation in Minneapolis as “chaotic,” “hectic,” and “dangerous”.

Matthews considers it the biggest story he has covered in more than 25 years as a reporter, having reported from conflict zones in Haiti and Thailand. “This is one of the most dangerous assignments I’ve been on. Everybody’s on edge. The protesters are angry, the Minnesotans are angry, the ICE agents are frustrated, and their job, which is already difficult, is being made so much harder by me, the media, and so many of us being in Minneapolis,” he said.

Matthews stressed that the “temperature was already hot” despite the cold weather, with yesterday’s high being about -5 degrees.

After the shooting, Matthews said ICE was trying to secure the scene but eventually pulled out entirely. “Law enforcement made a good move by letting the people have the streets for a while. People were pulling dumpsters into the middle of the street and setting them alight to stay warm,” he added.

Matthews said he watched on national news that the Trump Administration’s response to what was happening was the work of professional protesters and paid agitators. “I just want to stress this; I’m not trying to be biased, but 99.9% of the people in these crowds are Minnesotans.

“Right around there are people who are angry that ICE is here, and people are trying to defend their immigrant neighbors. One thing we have seen over and over is that in Minnesota, people are saying we love our neighbors, we love immigrants,” he added.

Matthews, who was sprayed with tear-gas several times, has been reporting in Minneapolis since 8. January, and notes that the Somali population, who make up a small number in Minneapolis, appreciate the love they have been shown and are grateful to the Minnesotans “for fighting for us”.

Expanding on what happens next, Matthews says, although he is an optimist, he cannot see the endgame. “I just don’t see how this ends, or I don’t see how this ends well.”

While some protestors are calling for ICE to be abolished, Matthews says customs and border control are essential for every country in the world.

But amid growing calls from politicians for a “cooling off” period, Matthews agrees that the targeted attacks by ICE must stop.

Pretti’s family issued a statement in response to false narratives being put out, saying: “The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting”.

They added that he had no interaction with law enforcement beyond a handful of traffic tickets. According to Associated Press (AP), court records show he had no criminal record.

“Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man,” his family said in the statement.