Intensive Care Unit nurse Alex Pretti was killed on Saturday during a protest at Saint Paul. A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent shot Renee Good, a 37-year-old citizen and Minnesotan, three times while she was in her car on Jan. 7 at Twin Cities.

Kristi Noem, the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, ascertained that Good made an ​​“attempt to kill or cause bodily harm to agents.” In later video footage released to the public, it remains unclear whether she attempted to hit the ICE officers positioned next to the front of her car, or if she panicked and hit the gas in an attempt to escape the confrontation.

“In the ‘70s there emerged a concept known as the credibility gap around the Vietnam War protest and what the government was saying, and then what news was being shared that contradicts that,” Lucia Franke, Advanced Placement United States History and Advanced Placement World History teacher, said. “I think we might be headed in a similar direction and it’s happening even faster because people have smartphones … there’s a variety of videos people can watch for themselves and then decide what they really think happened.” 

This led to public outrage and grief amongst Minnesotans, and thousands gathered with candles to organize a large-scale vigil.

“I think people get fed up with a system, and then all of a sudden there’s a powder keg, and you start sprinkling stuff in, like Trump says something inflammatory or there’s ICE agents everywhere … and then somebody dies, it just seems super chaotic,” Sociology and Advanced Placement World History teacher John Milner said. 

On Friday, tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Minneapolis in sub-zero weather in a “ICE Out of Minnesota: Day of Truth and Freedom” protest. Over 700 businesses closed during the day. Protesters included community leaders such as clergy members and labor union members.

This demonstration was spurred on by a crackdown from the Department of Homeland Security, as the Operation Metro Surge in late 2025 resulted in a large number of ICE agents being sent to the Minneapolis area of Minnesota, a sanctuary state.

“I think [the protests] are a reflection of the current political atmosphere in that we are in a time period that seems to be more partisan than other time periods … it’s not unprecedented, but I would say it’s not the norm,” Franke said. 

Franke believes these protests are at a larger scale than ever before. 

“Off the top of my head I can’t think of a time period where there was this much response on this topic,” Franke said. “I can think of times where there’s been a lot of protests for different topics, but not for immigration.” 

The shooting of Renee Good also helped drive protests along with the detainment of 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos, who was then reportedly used as bait to lure his father into custody. In these protests, agents reportedly used tear gas, flash bangs and pepper balls against citizens. 

“From a certain perspective, ICE would have all the power, they have the executive branch behind them, the gun power, they are intimidating … and you look at the people getting hurt, killed protesting, and they just want to live peacefully,” Milner said. “Another way to think about it is ICE is trying to take back the power of law and order from a chaotic immigration system that has just run so rampant that it’s causing these problems [like] lack of jobs, inflation, violent crimes.” 

On Saturday, the situation in Minnesota escalated with the shooting of Pretti by an ICE agent during a protest. A video of the shooting was then made public, with viewers calling the shooting a “murder.”

“There’s a huge influx of awareness and access to all these videos, and you’re swept up in this world of media and news, and you just get this steady stream of badness,” Milner said. 

Franke also noticed news becomes more polarized based on who is reading it. 

“I think that because of globalization of media other countries get more access to U.S news and because of technological innovation, people in the United States get their news in radically different ways from [their fellow] Americans,” Franke said. “We’ve sort of fallen into different silos that didn’t exist before when people only got news from three major networks.” 

According to Franke, there was “a national law that mandated networks presented the news in a non-biased way, but it was removed in the late ‘70s or ‘80s.”

In a press conference later, Noem ascertained that Pretti was brandishing his 9 mm semi-automatic handgun in a threatening manner. However, the released video shows that Pertti was using his phone to film the agents before witnessing a bystander being pushed by another agent. Pretti moved towards the agent, still not pulling out his gun. He was then pepper-sprayed and tackled to the ground, but still tried to help someone else up. Agents wrestled Pretti to the ground, disarmed him and then shot him. According to the video, Pretti did not pull out his gun once during the confrontation. 

“Those in power will definitely capitalize on these opportunities to make the other side look more evil … there’s certain people, like kids, that are having questions and will be totally shut down,” Milner said. 

In response, Governor Tim Walz asked President Donald Trump to remove the federal agents from Minnesota, as they are “sewing chaos and violence.” He goes on to call the actions of the agents on Minnesota streets “horrific, cruel, unprofessional” and an “ abomination.” 

Pretti’s death sent waves of shock and anger throughout Minneapolis and nationwide. In Michigan, 250 residents protested against ICE, in State College, Pennsylvania, more than 100 people gathered to protest ICE and in Los Angeles, protestors gathered on Jan. 25 to hold vigils for those hurt by federal agents, including Pretti. 

Protests against ICE are still ongoing.

“We just need to have some control and lead with love,” Milner said. 

Franke also desires a non-violent solution. 

“I’m hopeful and idyllic, and I believe in something more peaceful,” Franke said.