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Minneapolis shooting: Saturday's target was in ICE custody in 2018
Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident. was fatally shot during a federal immigration operation. Paul Schnell with the Minnesota Department of Corrections told FOX 9 Sunday the target of Saturday's operation, Jose Huerta-Chuma, was in ICE custody in 2018 but released after several weeks.
MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - The man federal agents were targeting in Saturday’s shooting in south Minneapolis that killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti was in ICE custody eight years ago.
That’s according to Paul Schnell with the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Schnell appeared on the FOX 9 Sunday Morning Show for a sit down with Leah Beno.
ICE operation target was Jose Huerta-Chuma
What we know:
Federal agents gathered Saturday morning near 26th and Nicollet in south Minneapolis for a targeted immigration enforcement operation. The target was Jose Huerta-Chuma, an undocumented immigrant who was wanted for a violent assault.
Schnell said back in 2018, Huerta-Chuma was in ICE custody for several weeks before being released into the community. Schnell says Huerta-Chuma was never in custody with the Minnesota Department of Corrections.
"Some years later, this is the worst of the worst, dangerous, violent offender. It just becomes confusing as to what the narrative is and why," Schnell said. "Immigration enforcement becomes important when we’re talking about people that present a real risk."
Border Patrol fatally shoots Alex Pretti
The backstory:
Saturday’s immigration enforcement escalated when community activists and protesters monitored the ICE activity near 26th and Nicollet.
Video shows federal agents pushing a woman to the ground. A man later identified as Pretti appears to be trying to help the woman up off the ground when he gets into a struggle with federal agents. Pretti was legally carrying a gun when during the struggle, he was shot multiple times by a Border Patrol agent.
The incident, the third shooting since Operation Metro Surge, and the second fatal shooting, sparked outrage and protests in the community.
The Source: Paul Schnell with the Minnesota Department of Corrections joined the FOX 9 Sunday Morning Show with Leah Beno.