U.S. Justice Department launches investigation into killing of Alex Pretti
Washington, January 31 (Hibya) – The U.S. Deputy Attorney General announced on Friday that the Justice Department has launched a federal civil rights investigation into the death of nurse Alex Pretti, who was killed last Saturday by immigration officers in Minneapolis.
Todd Blanche, assistant to Attorney General Pam Bondi, said at a press conference held Friday morning in Washington, D.C., “We are reviewing everything that could shed light on the events of that day.”
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also said on Friday that the FBI will conduct the investigation into the latest killing.
Pretti, 37, a nurse and activist at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs hospital, died while protesting aggressive immigration raids and protester control tactics carried out by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), border patrol, and other federal agencies.
She was the third person shot during an influx of immigration enforcement personnel sent by the Trump administration to the Twin Cities area of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, as part of its mass deportation agenda, and the second to die after Renee Good, who was shot and killed on January 7.
The Justice Department’s announcement on Friday marked a significant development after the Trump administration had previously indicated that the Department of Homeland Security would conduct a much narrower review.
Blanche said the new plan is “like any investigation the Justice Department and the FBI conduct every day.” “That means reviewing video footage, speaking with witnesses, and trying to understand what happened.” The Justice Department did not launch a similar investigation into Good’s death.
British News Agency