The US Customs and Border Protection has confirmed that the two agents involved in the fatal killing of an American citizen in Minneapolis have recently been put on administrative leave.
The victim in this case was ICU nurse Alex Pretti, who was killed last Saturday. His death provoked fresh protests in the state of Minnesota as public outcry across the US grew, and calls from lawmakers were on the rise in both parties to remove Kristi Noem, who is the US Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.
{img}As per a recent DHS report sent to the Congress, two officers fired their weapons at Pretti during a scuffle. Initial official accounts had alleged that Pretti was carrying a loaded gun and showed it to them, forcing them to shoot him, in an act of self-defense.
It's not clear when the two agents were put on leave or how long they might be staying off the job.
{img}The CBP did confirm to local media outlets recently that it had taken the agents off duty after following standard protocol, during which the incident is investigated.