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Around 9 a.m. this morning, federal agents executed one of our neighbors, Alex Pretti, at 26th and Nicollet in Whittier, in the community I represent. This is the second neighbor murdered in South Minneapolis by ICE in less than three weeks.

I'm heartbroken for Alex’s family, friends, & community. I am devastated, enraged, and horrified by the occupation of our city. This federal occupation killed Renee Good, killed Alex Pretti, continues to devastate and separate families, and it is destroying my neighbors’ lives.

I was on the scene this morning as observers and protesters gathered. Federal agents continued to escalate & deployed chemical irritants, gassing one of the densest neighborhoods in the Twin Cities, and further endangering blocks full of immigrants, families, and working people.

Multiple individuals who came to observe the actions of federal agents and protest the senseless shooting in Whittier, have since been detained. They must be immediately released.

Whittier is the most organized neighborhood in the most organized city in the country. We are strong. Since the occupation of our city began, we as a community have been rapidly responding with cameras and whistles, doing everything we can to keep each other safe.

ICE and CBP so desperately want us to stop that they are killing people for doing what we do best in Minneapolis: standing up for our neighbors.

I’m calling on Governor Walz to immediately do everything in his power to arrest the individuals responsible for the murder that took place in my community.

I also call on Governor Walz to institute an eviction moratorium for as long as our state is occupied, and put his focus towards protecting our communities — not deploying even more force against observers and protesters.

I take issue with any assertion that it is the people of my neighborhood, the people of this city, who are in any way responsible for the escalation we are seeing in the streets.