Former President and First Lady Decry Federal Agent Shooting in Minneapolis
In a powerful joint statement issued on Sunday, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Michelle Obama strongly condemned the killing of a second US citizen in Minneapolis by federal agents, characterizing the incident as a heartbreaking tragedy that exemplifies President Donald Trump's "assault" on American values.
A Wake-Up Call for All Americans
"The killing of Alex Pretti is a heartbreaking tragedy. It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault," the Obamas declared in their statement.
The remarks came after a Border Patrol agent fatally shot Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse in Minneapolis. The former President highlighted that people across the country have been rightly outraged by the spectacle of "masked" ICE recruits and other federal agents acting with impunity and employing tactics that appear designed to "intimidate, harass, provoke and endanger" residents of a major American city.
Unprecedented and Dangerous Tactics
"These unprecedented tactics—which even the former top lawyer of the Department of Homeland Security in the first Trump administration has characterized as embarrassing, lawless and cruel—have now resulted in the fatal shootings of two U.S citizens," they emphasized.
The Obamas expressed deep concern that rather than imposing discipline and accountability over deployed agents, President Trump and current administration officials seem eager to escalate the situation. They noted that public explanations for the shootings of Mr. Pretti and Renee Good appear uninformed by serious investigation and are directly contradicted by video evidence.
Call for Constructive Engagement
In their statement, the former First Couple urged an immediate cessation of such killings and expressed hope that administration officials would reconsider their approach. They advocated for finding ways to work constructively with Governor Walz, Mayor Frey, and state and local police to avert more chaos while achieving legitimate law enforcement goals.
Support for Peaceful Protests
The Obamas concluded by urging every American to support and draw inspiration from the wave of peaceful protests in Minneapolis and other parts of the country. "They are a timely reminder that ultimately it's up to each of us as citizens to speak out against injustice, protect our basic freedoms, and hold our government accountable," they stated.
This statement represents one of the most direct and forceful political interventions by the former President and First Lady regarding current administration policies, highlighting growing concerns about federal law enforcement tactics in American cities.
