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Charlie Kirk's ‘illegal immigrant protests’ post resurfaces after Alex Pretti shooting, ‘More about hating Trump than…’

Charlie Kirk’s 2018 X post about “illegal immigrants protests” have surfaced after the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, in Minneapolis.

Published on: Jan 25, 2026, 09:11:32 IST
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Charlie Kirk’s 2018 X post about “illegal immigrants protests” have surfaced after the killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, in Minneapolis. Pretti is the second person to be fatally shot by a federal agent in the city this month, after the shooting of Renee Nicole Good.

Charlie Kirk's ‘illegal immigrant protests’ post resurfaces after Alex Pretti shooting (REUTERS/David Ryder/File Photo) (REUTERS)
Charlie Kirk's ‘illegal immigrant protests’ post resurfaces after Alex Pretti shooting (REUTERS/David Ryder/File Photo) (REUTERS)

“These illegal immigrant protests are much more about hating Trump than actually helping children,” Kirk’s old post read.

Read More | Protests, tear gas, chaos in Minneapolis over another shooting by US federal agents. What is happening?

A screenshot of the post was shared by an X user, who captioned it, “There really is a Charlie Kirk tweet for everything.”

Officials said that Pretti was a white US citizen and a Minneapolis resident who was a lawful gun owner. His only known interaction with law enforcement was related to parking tickets, the BBC reported.

A video verified by the BBC, which was filmed from inside a coffee and donut shop on Nicollet Avenue, shows agents surrounding and tacking Pretti to the ground. One seemed to hit him multiple times before gunshots were heard. Pretti was then seen falling to the ground.

Read More | 'AFGE Local 3669 member was killed': What AFGE said after fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis

Talking about the incident, the Department of Homeland Security said that a federal officer shot a man dead in Minneapolis at 9:05 local time (15:05 GMT) on Saturday, January 24. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said Border Patrol officers were carrying out a "targeted operation" on an "illegal alien wanted for violent assault" when an individual approached them with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun.

"The officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted," McLaughlin said. "Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots. Medics on scene immediately delivered medical aid to the subject but was pronounced dead at the scene."

Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino later said at a news conference that the agent had "fired defensive shots.”

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz called the incident “sickening” in an X post. He wrote, “I just spoke with the White House after another horrific shooting by federal agents this morning. Minnesota has had it. This is sickening. The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now.”

“I told the White House the state must lead the investigation,” Walz wrote in another post. “Let state investigators secure justice. As we process the scene, stay peaceful and give them space. The State has the personnel to keep people safe – federal agents must not obstruct our ability to do so.”

 
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sumanti Sen

Sumanti Sen covers everything that’s happening in the US, from politics to entertainment, but her expertise lies in covering crime news. She has comprehensively chronicled the Idaho student murders, the Laken Riley and Iryna Zarutska cases, and the killing of Charlie Kirk, among other incidents. Over the years, she has interviewed several victims/families of victims of crimes seeking justice. She digs up stories that might otherwise remain unheard, and does her bit to ensure that victims and survivors’ voices are heard. Sumanti’s many years of experience also include interviews with Hamas attack survivors and mental health experts, among others. Her coverage of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel and interviews with survivors of the tragedy, coupled with her other works including the Titan submersible coverage, earned her the Digi Journo of the Quarter award during her first year at Hindustan Times. Sumanti actively tracks missing person cases in the United States, and peruses Reddit and other social media platforms to bring to light cases that frequently elude public attention. She has extensively covered the disappearances of Nancy Guthrie, Thomas Medlin, Beau Mann, and Sudiksha Konanki, among others. When not at work, you will either find her with her novels, or with her beloved rescue pooches.

Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.
Stay updated with US News covering politics, crime, weather, local events, and sports highlights. Get the latest on Donald Trump and American politics along with Horoscope 2026.
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