Minnesota Governor Tim Walz ordered the mobilization of the state National Guard on Saturday after the death of Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis resident, at the hands of a federal immigration agent, amid the large-scale immigration raids driven by President Donald Trump's administration.

“Yes, the “We are mobilizing,” Walz confirmed when questioned about the military deployment, amidst growing tension between city residents and the thousands of federal agents sent to carry out immigration operations.

National Guard Reinforces Federal Security

During the same press conference, Major General Shawn Manke, commander of the Minnesota National Guard, explained that the troops had been on standby for more than a week and that their activation came after a formal request from the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office.

The troops' first mission will be to ensure the security of the Whipple Federal Building, a facility that houses immigration agents deployed in Minneapolis.

Manke declined to specify the exact number of troops mobilized, although he assured that the contingent is “adequate for the request” and that more personnel are being activated.

What is known about the victim

According to authorities, the deceased man was Alex Pretti, A 37-year-old white man apparently had a legal permit to carry a firearm and no relevant criminal record. Videos circulating on social media show more than half a dozen federal agents struggling with the man moments before the shots were fired. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) stated that the individual was carrying a semiautomatic weapon and two magazines with ammunition, although the case remains under investigation.

Second fatal case in less than three weeks

Walz and other local officials demanded the federal government end immigration raids in the city, noting that this is the second fatal incident in just over two weeks.

On January 7, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents shot and killed Renee Good, a 37-year-old woman, while she was inside her car during an immigration operation.

Mass raids ordered by Trump

The raids in Minneapolis began in early January, following a direct order from President Donald Trump. Since then, the city has received a deployment of federal agents five times greater than the entire local police force, according to state authorities. The increased operations followed the release of a documentary by a conservative YouTuber that brought renewed attention to alleged cases of embezzlement of federal funds in daycare centers linked to members of the Somali community, which intensified the presence of immigration agencies in the region.