Merz expresses concerns over fatal shooting by ICE in US

HAMBURG, Germany (MNTV) – German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has labeled the recent fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis as “worrying,” questioning the necessity of the lethal force used and stressing the importance of a transparent investigation by American authorities.

The shooting occurred on Saturday when a 37-year-old man, Alex Pretti, was shot and killed by officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Pretti worked as an intensive care nurse at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center in the city.

The U.S. government has described the fatal shooting as an act of self-defense by its agents. However, this official account has been challenged by video footage from the scene circulating online, which appears to contradict the government’s version of events.

This incident is the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal agents in Minneapolis this month, following the death of 37-year-old Renee Good in a separate ICE operation on January 7.

The killing of Pretti has sparked street clashes between protesters and law enforcement in the Minnesota city.

Speaking in Hamburg on Monday, Chancellor Merz alluded to a recurring pattern, noting that concerning news from the U.S. often seems to emanate from “one region or one city.”

He stated he assumed American authorities would clarify the necessity of the shooting, directly linking his concern to “the losses suffered by the civilian population.”

His decision to publicly critique the “level of use of violence in the USA” underscores a diplomatic willingness to comment on the internal policies of a key partner.