Protesters turned out in Minneapolis, across the nation and in the Chicago area following the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis protester by a Border Patrol agent, condemning the incident and protesting the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
While the shooting has been widely denounced as a case of excessive force carried out by untrained federal officers, the Trump administration called it a case of an armed man provoking violence.
The Department of Homeland Security said the protestor, who was identified as 37-year-old Alex Pretti, was shot after he “approached” Border Patrol officers with a gun. Officials did not say if Pretti brandished the weapon or kept it hidden.
Following the shooting, a number of people attended a multi-faith prayer vigil on Sunday afternoon, demanding accountability.
“What’s going on in America is worse than any weather and the people that are being affected by this deserve us to just brave some cold weather to show up,” one demonstrator said.
The event marked the second large demonstration on Sunday in Chicago.
Similar scenes have played out across the country, as outrage and tensions continue to climb in the wake of the shooting.
The latest protest was put together by an interfaith organization, with the hope of putting an end to Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations that have unfolded across the country.
One woman said seeing the video of the shooting that left Pretti dead was enough to compel her to protest.
“What happened yesterday was horrific,” she said. “It’s a way to feel united with other people that feel the same and to show that we really do want our country to be different than what it is right now.”
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