Minnesota shooting evokes strong reactions here

By MARTIN WILBUR

The shooting deaths of two people in Minneapolis this month by federal agents is causing concern here, as well as around the nation, and many are watching developments and how the incidents have been handled with unease.

Among them is Mount Kisco Village Trustee Thomas Luzio, a longtime prosecutor with the Westchester County District Attorney’s Office. He said that despite the weekly protests in the village that have been peaceful from the start, the rush by the federal government to proclaim the victims in Minnesota as domestic terrorists and justifying the officers’ actions before any investigation started makes him nervous.

“Throughout my career in law enforcement, it is really important to stay out of those types of comments, stand by your men or women if they’ve been involved in a shooting, but wait to proclaim their innocence and the actions of the individuals that end up deceased until the investigation was fully concluded, and oftentimes by an independent agency,” Luzio said.

Fred Silverman of Bedford, an organizer of the weekly Saturday rally for democracy gatherings in Mount Kisco, said participants are being cautious. 

He has organized the demonstrations every weekend for nearly a year to protest the policies and actions of the Trump administration, and said the group of local activists use monitors trained in deescalation techniques to defuse potential confrontations. There is also someone who tapes each rally in the event there is an incident to have a record.

Thus far, Silverman said all of the protests have been peaceful, with no interaction with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers or personnel from other federal agencies during the rallies. 

The protests started on Kisco Avenue near the Tesla dealership in February when Elon Musk led the Department of Government Efficiency before shifting to Main Street outside Village Hall in July. Roughly 40% of Mount Kisco’s population was born abroad and there have been periodic reports of agents from ICE or other federal departments in the village.

“So, we’re being vigilant but people attend at their own risk,” Silverman said. “But we are trying to ensure a safe environment for everyone to be there every week. We have a lot of elderly people show up. That’s what I’ve been doing for the last year is simply to create a safe environment for them, and I think that’s really, really important, especially now with the divisiveness getting more and more intense.”

Westchester County Police, which provides the village with its law enforcement, confirmed that the Mount Kisco protests have been consistently peaceful, causing no problems. Department of Public Safety spokesman Kieran O’Leary said on a few occasions there were counter protestors when the rallies were held on Kisco Avenue, but both groups remained on opposite sides of the street.

“If anyone ever feels that they are being harassed or are feeling unsafe at any public demonstration or gathering, we would urge them to call police right away and our officers will respond to resolve the issue,” O’Leary said.

Following the killing of Alex Pretti last Saturday by agents in Minneapolis, Minn., some area elected officials weighed in on what was the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen in that city in just over two weeks. Renée Good was killed by an agent Jan. 7. 

One of the first reactions came early Saturday evening from state Sen. Shelley Mayer, D-37, who called on ICE to leave Minnesota.

“I am deeply disturbed by the videos I saw, and I know others are as well,” Mayer said. “For the love and for the future of the United States, this armed invasion of an American state and city cannot continue. I call on the New York Republican members of Congress to urge Trump to withdraw ICE; and I demand an immediate, full, and transparent investigation by Minnesota law enforcement, including the full release of all video and evidence related to the incident. This cannot stand. ICE must leave Minnesota.”

On Monday, Republican Congressman Mike Lawler, through a Facebook post, called the deaths of Pretti and Good “preventable” and “tragic” and the situation in Minneapolis “deeply concerning.” He was criticized by some Democrats for taking about 48 hours to respond.

Lawler called for an independent investigation into both victims’ deaths but also urged for the end to sanctuary cities and for local police to work with federal officials to uphold the nation’s laws. 

On Tuesday, Lawler had an op-ed published in The New York Times, reiterating those points and asking for congressional hearings with attendance by the leaders of ICE, Homeland Security, the Border Patrol and Citizen and Immigration Services. He also has asked Congress to work toward a realistic bipartisan immigration plan that provides legal status — but not citizenship — to illegal immigrants with no criminal record provided they comply with mandatory work requirements, forgo public assistance and pay any fines or taxes that they may owe.

“Congress would have to change the legal immigration system, too,” Lawler wrote. “Lawmakers should create a system in which applicants’ merit matters more than it does now, better accounting for the country’s economic needs. I am the husband of a naturalized citizen. My wife came to the United States in pursuit of a better life. I will always fight to provide opportunity to others who have the potential and desire to contribute to America’s success.”

The 15-member Democratic caucus of the Westchester County Board of Legislators also called for an independent inquiry, saying, “federal actions that put residents at risk must be stopped.”

“We are deeply disturbed by the latest killing of an American citizen in Minneapolis by federal immigration agents, a tragic incident that follows others in recent weeks,” the Democrats’ statement read. “This pattern of violence by federal authorities in our communities cannot continue. The use of lethal force in these operations is unacceptable and a serious breach of public trust. Americans deserve to be protected, not targeted, by their own government.”

Silverman said the Saturday protests will continue. In the few weeks since Good’s death in Minnesota, interest has been soaring. For the Jan. 10 rally, more than 700 people attended, the largest of any week outside of the No Kings protests, and despite frigid temperatures last week, about 130 people turned out, he said.

And, he said, for the first time large numbers of area clergy have been reaching out to either join in or get more information. It demonstrates that people are more determined than ever to see a change from the tactics that have been used by the federal government.

“We haven’t really done much outreach, and the fact that we have clergy members reaching out to us is just different,” Silverman said. “Something is shifting.”