Noem defends fatal shooting of armed man in DHS confrontation

(The Center Square) – Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis man by a Border Patrol agent as an act of self-defense during a news conference Saturday afternoon.

Noem said the man, identified as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an ICU nurse and U.S. citizen, arrived at the scene Saturday armed and intent on impeding a federal immigration enforcement operation.

“This individual showed up to impede a law enforcement operation and assaulted our officers,” Noem said. “They responded according to their training and took action to defend the officer’s life and those of the public around him.”

Noem said Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey “choose violence” instead of cooperation with federal officials who are trying to conduct immigration enforcement. “It appears that they want this lawlessness to continue,” Noem said.

“Gov. Walz today, in his p...