Thousands gather in downtown SLC to protest ICE after shooting death of Minnesota nurse
Jan 26, 2026, 9:18 AM
Thousands marched in downtown Salt Lake City Sunday after a Minnesota man was shot and killed by federal agents. (Shelby Lofton, KSL)
(Shelby Lofton, KSL)
SALT LAKE CITY — Thousands turned out for a rally Sunday afternoon protesting ICE after another shooting death in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
They met at the Wallace F. Bennett Federal Building and then marched through the streets to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services office.
It comes after 37-year-old Alex Pretti was killed by federal agents, which was recorded by witnesses and released to the public.
The Department of Homeland Security said Pretti threatened agents with a gun and they fired at him in self-defense. So far, no video has emerged showing Pretti pointing a weapon at agents.
Sunday’s afternoon protest was notably larger than previous anti-ICE gatherings held in Utah in recent weeks.
Many protestors carried signs for Renee Good and Pretti, both shot and killed by federal agents in Minnesota.
“My son lives in Minnesota and two blocks from where Alex was murdered and I’m here to show support for Minnesota,” said protestor Mindy Holbrook, from Summit County.
Holbrook walked alongside Kelli Hall of Salt Lake County, both former teachers who met for the first time today.
“I love that there’s more people because these are our neighbors and our friends that are being rounded up without due process,” Hall said. “And we have a constitution. Even though she taught science and I mostly taught math, teachers are usually history buffs, right? And we believe in the Constitution.”
Some protesters and signs called out local leaders, like Utah Senator Mike Lee, who wrote on X today, “We’re not defunding ICE. Live with it.”
In a much longer post, Senator John Curtis addressed the shooting death of Pretti. At the end of his statement, he wrote, “Until the facts are fully known, we should lead with empathy, restraint, and respect for the rule of law.”
A family from Herriman said they are worried about their safety following the news from Minnesota.
“People are like, ‘Oh, what are the odds that’s never going to happen here?’ But you never know,” said Mariana Shelley, an immigrant from Venezuela living in Herriman. “That’s what everybody said in other countries where they don’t have a democracy.”
She told KSL she has concerns about what could happen to her following events elsewhere.
“If I’m at the grocery store, the parking lot, somebody takes me, nobody’s going to interfere because they’re going to be scared, and also, some people might think like, ‘well, maybe she doesn’t have documents, maybe she’s a criminal,'” Shelley said.
She has concerns for her husband and children, too.
“I hope more people understand that what is happening shouldn’t be happening,” Shelley said. “It’s not normal to be killing people in the streets.”
KSL had crews tracking this protest from before it started to the end when crowds dispersed. What we saw was peaceful. We didn’t see any counter-protesters along the route.
