PHOENIX (AZFamily) — The deadly shooting involving ICE in Minneapolis is sparking protests across the country, including Arizona.
Hundreds of people gathered Saturday night at Civic Space Park in Phoenix in response to an ICE agent shooting and killing 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
“And what it’s really going to take is us as a people organizing, uniting and coming together,” Lexsiri Coronado, a protest organizer, said.
Protesters held signs demanding to abolish ICE.
“Just talking to every single person of any age, any race, they have an understanding that what ICE is doing is too much,” protester Juan Vega Mejia said.
The Department of Homeland Security says the man had a handgun and violently resisted when agents tried to disarm him. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz says videos show the opposite and are nothing but “nonsense and lies.”
In Minneapolis, police also issued a reminder to protesters.
“I recognize that this is a volatile and emotional situation, and our focus remains as it always has been — on de-escalation, slowing things down,” Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said.
Back at home, Rep. Andy Biggs posted on X: “Tim Walz and Jacob Frey have blood on their hands. Nobody wants to see injuries or fatalities—of citizens or law enforcement. That means citizens can’t run over law enforcement with their vehicles or pull a gun on them. Walz and Frey must get control of Minneapolis.”
RELATED: Arizona officials react to second deadly shooting involving ICE in Minneapolis
For some demonstrating, they say there’s no option when it comes to this cause.
“I’m willing to take that sacrifice now so that generations in the future don’t have to experience that same pain,” Coronado said.
Others worry Phoenix could be next. “It doesn’t matter where we’re at, because it could happen to any of us,” Vega Mejia said.
Gov. Katie Hobbs has not said if federal agents will be coming to Arizona.
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