Violence continues to erupt in Minnesota after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
In a recent video by Glenn Beck, the commentator looked at protest footage that showed a journalist and her husband being stalked by activists who wrongly believed she worked for ICE. As vehicles boxed her in and chants erupted, she rolled down her window and pleaded: “We aren’t ICE… we have nothing to do with ICE.” Beck warned that “nothing she says is going to satisfy this mob,” signaling how outrage has begun to override truth in public spaces.
Things escalated quickly. A self-proclaimed Antifa member was recorded urging the crowd to arm themselves: “Get your guns. You got to stop these people. Now is the time for violence.”
Later, separate clashes reportedly resulted in one federal immigration officer having part of his finger bitten off. At the same time, another was filmed bloodied outside a hotel after protesters wrongly assumed ICE personnel were inside. Reports indicate portions of the civil unrest were coordinated through the encrypted messaging platform Signal, raising the stakes of tactical organization and intent.
But the most consequential moment came during the confrontation with Alex Pretti, one of the protesters who carried a holstered firearm. Pretti was pepper-sprayed, taken to the pavement and pinned by multiple federal agents. Beck observed BBC analysis of the confrontation, which showed another officer removing a pistol from Pretti’s waistband.
Seconds after the firearm was removed, a voice shouted: “Gun! Gun! Gun!” and shots went out. The Department of Homeland Security noted Pretti as an armed aggressor who had approached officers with a 9mm handgun.
Federal Fallout: Leadership Changes and a Troubled Response
After this event, President Donald Trump dispatched longtime border enforcement czar Tom Homan to Minnesota to take control of on-ground operations and stabilize the Department of Homeland Security’s public posture. The move, reported by The Washington Post, was part of a broader White House effort to assert command and ease tensions.
Simultaneously, Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino was removed from his role overseeing the Minneapolis operation, according to AP News. Bovino’s ouster and Homan’s deployment mark a significant reshuffling at DHS during a still-developing crisis.
Kristi Noem Endorses Tom Homan
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stood in solidarity with President Trump’s decision to bring Tom Holman to the state of Minnesota, writing on X:
I have worked closely with Tom over the last year and he has been a major asset to our team— his experience and insight will help us in our wide-scale fraud investigations, which have robbed Americans, and will help us to remove even more public safety threats and violent criminal illegal aliens off the of streets of Minneapolis. We continue to call on the leadership in Minnesota to allow for state and local partnership in our public safety mission.
This is good news for peace, safety, and accountability in Minneapolis.
— Secretary Kristi Noem (@Sec_Noem) January 26, 2026
I have worked closely with Tom over the last year and he has been a major asset to our team— his experience and insight will help us in our wide-scale fraud investigations, which have robbed Americans, and… pic.twitter.com/sLtArl1QcT
Walz vs. Federal Authority
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who has repeatedly pushed protesters to block ICE agents from doing their jobs, is finally showing signs of potentially cooperating with the federal government after speaking with President Trump.
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Walz wrote on X:
I had a productive call with President Trump earlier today. I told him we need impartial investigations of the Minneapolis shootings involving federal agents, and that we need to reduce the number of federal agents in Minnesota.
I had a productive call with President Trump earlier today. I told him we need impartial investigations of the Minneapolis shootings involving federal agents, and that we need to reduce the number of federal agents in Minnesota.
— Governor Tim Walz (@GovTimWalz) January 26, 2026
A Crisis of Tactics — and Morality
In his video, Beck noted the stark contrast between this protest movement and the nonviolent civil rights strategies of Martin Luther King Jr.
“King would have said, ‘You don’t bring a gun. You don’t push back,’ ”Beck argued. “That’s the only way peaceful protests win.”
It is clear that America has entered a season where violence is being seen as an option to get whatever you want, regardless of the truth of what is lawful and just. This is the time for our nation to press into prayer, asking God for a spiritual shift in Minnesota and across the country.
To watch Glenn Beck’s full analysis, click here. (Editor’s Note: Violent images).
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the upcoming book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment.
