Minneapolis shooting: Milwaukee protest, march downtown Saturday

MILWAUKEE - A U.S. Border Patrol agent shot and killed a 37-year-old man, identified as Alex Pretti, in Minneapolis on Saturday morning, Jan. 24.

Milwaukee protest

Local perspective:

Protesters immediately gathered in Minneapolis and, a few hours later, similar scenes popped up across the country – including in Milwaukee.

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The Associated Press reported that Pretti, a U.S. citizen, was born in Illinois but grew up in Green Bay. He played football, baseball and ran track for Preble High School. He was a Boy Scout and sang in the Green Bay Boy Choir.

What they're saying:

Hundreds of people took to the streets downtown, marching shoulder to shoulder in the cold with a heated message. 

"I'm fighting for all my neighbors, all my community members," said Nicholas Sinthasomphone. "It's disgusting, it's despicable, it's outright evil – they should not be here."

The Party for Socialism and Liberation organized the "emergency action" at Red Arrow Park. Leaders, like Erica Steiv, said it was in response to the shooting in Minneapolis. 

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"People are fed up. We are out here to say enough is enough," she said.

Steiv said the shooting gave her flashbacks to Renee Good, the woman shot and killed by an ICE agent earlier this month.

"When I saw the video of the person being pinned to the ground, beat and shot, my heart just shattered," said Steiv.

The other side:

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said federal agents acted in self-defense when an armed man approached them. Officials did not specify if he brandished the gun. In bystander videos of the shooting that emerged soon after, Pretti is seen with a phone in his hand but none appears to show him with a visible weapon.

"I want to remind everybody that this situation and this tragedy did not have to happen," said DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

What's next:

Saturday's protesters said they want their voices to be louder than the violence that is making national news. The group said they've been inspired by recent protests in Minneapolis, and they're considering actions like a general strike – protesting going to work and school, which could lead to a shutdown of many industries in the area.

"Even if just a quarter of the population were to do this or support this, it could have major ramifications," said Steiv.

The Party for Socialism and Liberation also said Saturday's demonstration was just the tip of the iceberg, and they will continue to protest until the right people get the message.

Continued coverage

Dig deeper:

FOX6 News is keeping track of updates from FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul as coverage continues in the Twin Cities. 

• Alex Pretti, man killed in Minneapolis shooting, grew up in Green Bay
• What we know about the Border Patrol agent who shot man
• Video shows Border Patrol agent fatally shoot man
• Minnesota BCA says DHS blocked them from crime scene
• DHS funding: After latest Minneapolis shooting, Democrats move to block spending bill
• Reaction pours in after man killed by border agent

Official statements

What they're saying:

Public officials in Wisconsin have provided the following public statements.

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin):

"ICE and DHS are out of control and making our communities less safe. I will not support funding for DHS without clear accountability and stronger controls over the agency. It is time for the Senate to do its job and rein in this lawlessness."

Milwaukee County Executive David Crowey:

"It is time to stop pretending the large-scale immigration enforcement operations in Midwestern communities are about public safety.

"People – regardless of immigration status or how federal authorities choose to define them – are in danger when ICE operates this way in our neighborhoods.

"An agent entrusted with the authority to use lethal force must be able to withstand criticism, noise, and public scrutiny without resorting to deadly violence. This administration is pursuing reckless enforcement policies and refusing to course-correct, even when public safety is at stake. That is unacceptable.

"At the same time, I echo Governor Walz and Minnesota officials in urging people not to respond to violence with violence. That is exactly what escalation seeks: an excuse to come down harder. We cannot allow our grief and anger to be weaponized against our own communities.

"We cannot allow our pain to push us into vigilantism or retaliation that mirrors the harm we are demanding accountability for.

"We must not lose our humanity. We must remember who we are, what we stand for, and what kind of country we refuse to surrender."

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson:

"It's beyond time for federal agents to halt their aggressive actions in Minneapolis. The right of protesters to raise their voices against government action is enshrined in the First Amendment of our constitution. What ICE is doing on the streets of Minnesota would summon Americans anywhere to have grievances if it happened in their communities. Killing a protester who was on his knees rather than deescalating the situation is a fundamental affront to American values. Americans everywhere need to WAKE UP to what’s happening to our country."

Democratic Party of Wisconsin Chair Devin Remiker:

"We must all be clear about what is happening. Trump and the GOP command and support execution squads – operating outside the law – on the streets of American cities. They can come to your community, attack your neighbors, murder you if you dare to question them, and lie that you were a domestic terrorist that deserved it. We are running out of time to stop it. Every election in 2026 is an emergency."

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