Minnesota business leaders urge de‑escalation after fatal federal shooting

The fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti by federal agents has intensified tensions around the federal immigration campaign in Minneapolis, prompting business leaders in the state to respond. The C.E.O.s of more than 60 large Minnesota companies, including Target, Best Buy, 3M and Cargill, issued a public letter, shared by the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, calling for "an immediate de‑escalation of tensions." The executives said they had been in touch with federal, state and local officials but did not call for specific actions or explicitly condemn the shooting; Pretti was the second person killed by federal agents in Minneapolis this month.

Many Trump administration officials have called Pretti, without evidence, a "domestic terrorist" and blamed Democrats and protesters for heightening tensions, while some Republican lawmakers have expressed concern. Josh Bolten, head of the Business Roundtable, said he supported the Minnesota letter.

Other prominent figures have been more forceful, as Business Insider noted: Jeff Dean called the shooting "absolutely shameful," James Dyett criticized priorities in the tech sector, and Jason Calacanis urged changes to the administration's immigration team. The economic and moral fallout remains uncertain.

Some Minneapolis businesses closed in solidarity with protests, and it is unclear whether there will be sustained pressure campaigns on companies nationwide.