By Howie Katz
The ICE operations in Minneapolis resulted in mass protests well before anyone got shot. But with the questionable shootings of Renee Good and Alex Jeffrey Pretti, the city has become a battleground between its citizens and ICE.
I have expressed the opinion that the shooting of Good was not justified and a gun rights advocate also believes that the shooting of Pretti was unwarranted.
After viewing the videos, it looks like the Border Patrol agents got pissed off and threw Pretti to the ground because he had been filming them and was also trying to help a woman on the ground. And then the situation went from bad to worse with Pretti getting shot multiple times.
With all the turmoil, it seems to me that the federal operations in Minneapolis are not worth it. While a number of illegal immigrants have been arrested, two U.S. citizens have also been killed. The ICE tactics and the deaths of Good and Pretti have given all of law enforcement an undeserved bad name, not just in Minnesota but all over the country
It would be wise for Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem to announce that ICE has achieved its objective of arresting illegal immigrants and would now withdraw most of its agents from Minnesota.
Of course, Trump and Noem are not about to do anything that has the appearance of a surrender. Instead, Trump may send in federal troops to put down what he calls an insurrection. And that will only make matters worse.
Someone should tell Trump and Noem that Minnesota is not an ayatollah led Iran.
2 comments:
After carefully looking at newly available cell phone footage I have had to revise my personal opinion of this incident. (Subject to further revision as a competent investigation is done and more info becomes available.) My original position was that the Petti shooting was tragic but that it was understandable and very likely both reasonable and legal. It now seems very likely that he was shot a bunch of times AFTER a federal office had relieved him of his weapon. Several of those shots were fired while Petti was on the ground. That will, IMHO (and I do have some background and training in this area though that training is stale) be very, very difficult to justify the shooting under the circumstances that now appear to have been present at the time.
Let the investigation play out. However, to say leave criminals alone in Minneapolis is a bad example and dangerous. I believe operational procedures could use a tune up.
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