Bill Clinton on Minneapolis Shooting: "This is Unacceptable" and "Should Have Been Avoided"
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| Bill Clinton on Minneapolis shooting: ‘The people in charge have lied to us’ |
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton has issued a forceful condemnation of recent federal immigration enforcement actions in Minneapolis, describing the events as “unacceptable” and accusing the Trump administration of misleading the American public about deadly encounters involving federal agents.
In a statement released Sunday, Clinton said the country has witnessed “horrible scenes” in Minneapolis and other communities that he “never thought would take place in America.” His remarks follow weeks of escalating protests across Minnesota after two civilians were fatally shot this month during incidents involving federal immigration officers.
“People, including children, have been seized from their homes, workplaces, and the street by masked federal agents,” Clinton said. He added that peaceful protesters and citizens attempting to observe and document law enforcement activity have been “arrested, beaten, teargassed,” and, in the most serious cases, killed.
Read more: Obama Calls Alex Pretti Shooting a “Heartbreaking Tragedy,” Urges Accountability
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| Bill Clinton says Trump admin 'told us not to believe what we've seen' after latest Minnesota shooting |
Clinton specifically referenced the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, both 37-year-old Minneapolis residents who were shot and killed in separate encounters with federal officers. “All of this is unacceptable and should have been avoided,” he said.
The former president also sharply criticized the administration’s response to the shootings, accusing officials of dishonesty and escalating tensions rather than restoring public trust. “At every turn, the people in charge have lied to us, told us not to believe what we’ve seen with our own eyes, and pushed increasingly aggressive and antagonistic tactics,” Clinton said, including actions that he said interfered with investigations by local authorities.
Read more: Where Minnesota Is and Why It’s the Epicenter of the ICE Protests
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| Minneapolis |
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has defended the shooting involving Pretti, stating that the agent fired “defensive shots” after claiming Pretti was armed. Federal authorities said a firearm was recovered at the scene and noted that Pretti, an intensive care nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital, was legally licensed to carry the weapon.
However, that account has been disputed by witnesses and civil rights advocates, who point to video footage showing Pretti holding a cellphone, not a gun, while recording the law enforcement operation shortly before he was fatally shot.
Clinton urged Americans to view the current moment as a test of democratic values, warning against complacency in the face of expanding federal power. “If we give our freedoms away after 250 years, we might never get them back,” he said, calling on citizens to “stand up, speak out, and show that our nation still belongs to We the People.”
