ByZachary Folk,
Forbes Staff.
Former President Barack Obama said Saturday’s shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in Minneapolis, was a “heartbreaking tragedy” and a “wake-up call” for Americans as he condemned the Trump administration’s handling of shootings in the city—joining professional athletes and celebrities speaking out following Pretti’s death.
In a statement, Obama said the Trump administration “seem eager to escalate the situation,” noting that the official explanations for the deaths of Pretti and Renee Good earlier in January “appear to be directly contradicted by video evidence.”
NBA legend and sportscaster Charles Barkley called the situation “scary,” telling an ESPN panel “it’s already ended badly twice, and somebody’s got to step up and be adults, because, man, two people have died for no reason, it’s just sad”—also referring to the shooting of Renee Good by an ICE agent earlier in January.
