MINNEAPOLIS, MN — Tensions escalated further Saturday night after Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Tricia McClaughlin shared graphic photos showing a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) officer’s finger bitten off during violent clashes with protesters.
McClaughlin posted images of the agent’s bloody hand and a separate photo appearing to show the severed fingertip preserved in a plastic jar. She wrote that the injury was caused by “rioters” at the scene, adding that the officer will permanently lose the finger.
DHS also released photos of two alleged suspects believed to have been involved in the incident, though their names have not yet been made public. Officials have not clarified which individual bit the officer’s finger.
The violence comes in the wake of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by DHS officers earlier in the week. Newly surfaced video of the incident appears to contradict the government’s initial narrative, showing Pretti complying with officers before being pepper‑sprayed, dragged to the ground, and fatally shot. While DHS maintains Pretti was armed, the footage shows no evidence that he brandished his legally permitted firearm.
DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has labeled Pretti a “domestic terrorist,” while critics and Pretti’s family accuse the administration of spreading falsehoods. The conflicting accounts have fueled widespread protests across Minneapolis, despite freezing temperatures.
Police used tear gas to disperse crowds Saturday, but demonstrators continued to gather late into the night. The unrest prompted Governor Tim Walz to call in the Minnesota National Guard to deescalate the situation. Walz has stated he intends to bill the federal government for the deployment.
The incident underscores the volatile atmosphere in Minneapolis, where the combination of Pretti’s death, DHS’s heavy presence, and violent clashes between protesters and federal agents has created a crisis that shows no signs of easing.
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