A Minneapolis woman recounts death of Alex Pretti as lawyers eye a class action lawsuit

Georgia Savageford, a Minneapolis woman who observed federal immigration enforcement alongside Alex Pretti, recounted witnessing his death at a news conference on Thursday. Savageford described being arrested and physically restrained by agents shortly before seeing them shoot Pretti. She stated she had been monitoring ICE activity since the shooting of Renee Good earlier in January. Savageford alleges excessive force during her arrest, including being tackled, handcuffed tightly, and held in a cold cell without basic necessities for 12 hours before being released without charges.

Civil rights attorney John Burris announced plans to pursue class-action lawsuits against the government for alleged excessive force used against protesters and monitors of immigration enforcement in Minnesota. Burris, known for his work on high-profile police misconduct cases, has already filed complaints on behalf of ten individuals, including Savageford, as a precursor to a larger lawsuit.

Savageford expressed grief over Pretti’s death, stating she felt he had her back and admired his dedication to protecting others. The Department of Homeland Security and ICE have not yet responded to requests for comment, while Minnesota officials have sued the Trump administration for access to evidence related to the killings.

(Source：Reading Eagle)