The Department of Homeland Security is investigating whether U.S. Border Patrol agents thought they were being fired upon when one fatally shot Alex Pretti on a Minneapolis street over the weekend.
The Kristi Noem said Pretti "violently resisted" arrest and that a federal agent fired his weapon "fearing for his life."
Footage of the incident shows an agent disarm Pretti shortly before he was killed. He entered into the initial scuffle with agents as he tried to assist another protester who had been pushed by law enforcement.
Sources familiar with the investigation told the newspaper that the agents involved were overworked and not trained to deal with protesters or types of confrontation they have endured while going about their duties.
"None of those agents should’ve had their gun out. It’s a confluence of them being asked to do enforcement work that they are not trained for," one source said.
"All of this is avoidable. None of this should be happening."
On Monday, President Donald Trump announced that border czar Tom Homan would be going to Minnesota amid violent clashes between federal authorities and anti-ICE agitators.