House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries escalated his criticism of the Trump administration on Saturday following the fatal shooting of a man by federal agents in Minneapolis, directly challenging official accounts of the incident and urging the public to rely on video evidence circulating online.
“Donald Trump and GOP extremists are trying to gaslight America,” Jeffries said in a statement. “Trust your eyes. Not extremist lies. The video exposing the brutal slaying of VA nurse Alex Pretti speaks for itself.”
Donald Trump and GOP extremists are trying to gaslight America.
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) January 24, 2026
Trust your eyes. Not extremist lies.
The video exposing the brutal slaying of VA nurse Alex Pretti speaks for itself.
Jeffries’ remarks come amid intense national scrutiny of a Department of Homeland Security operation in Minneapolis earlier in the day that ended with a man being shot and killed by U.S. Border Patrol agents. According to DHS, officers were conducting a targeted operation against an illegal alien wanted for violent assault when an armed individual approached them with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun and two magazines. DHS said the suspect violently resisted efforts to disarm him, prompting an agent to fire defensive shots. The individual was pronounced dead at the scene despite immediate medical aid.
At 9:05 AM CT, as DHS law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted operation in Minneapolis against an illegal alien wanted for violent assault, an individual approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, seen here.
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) January 24, 2026
The officers attempted to… pic.twitter.com/5Y50mYONGH
Reuters reported that Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara identified the man as a 37-year-old city resident believed to be a U.S. citizen and a lawful gun owner with no criminal record. Video footage widely shared on social media shows masked, heavily equipped officers grappling with a man on a snow-covered street before gunshots are heard, followed by additional shots after he falls to the ground.
The suspect reportedly shot dead by federal agents today in Minneapolis drew a gun on them and defensive shots were fired, authorities say
— Border Hawk (@BorderHawkNews) January 24, 2026
Nonetheless, expect increased unrest in the Twin Cities starting immediately
Monitoring the situation . . .
pic.twitter.com/quELjjtAxA
Jeffries’ reference to the video reflects a growing divide between federal authorities and Democratic leaders over how the incident should be characterized. While DHS has framed the shooting as a defensive response to an armed threat, Jeffries and other Democratic officials have described it as a killing of a civilian by “masked and lawless” federal agents, accusing the administration of unleashing violence through aggressive immigration enforcement.
The shooting has fueled protests across Minneapolis and intensified calls from Democratic lawmakers and local officials to halt federal immigration operations in Minnesota. Critics argue the enforcement surge has created a climate of fear and instability, while administration allies maintain that federal agents are acting lawfully to protect themselves and the public.
Jeffries’ latest statement underscores how video evidence from the scene has become central to the political battle over the shooting, with opposing sides pointing to the same footage to support starkly different conclusions about what happened and who bears responsibility.
