WASHINGTON – Concerns have been mounting among Republican leaders regarding the methods employed by federal immigration authorities in Minnesota. This comes in the aftermath of a fatal shooting involving a U.S. Border Patrol agent and a man in Minneapolis.

Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt described the incident, which occurred on Saturday and resulted in the death of Alex Pretti, as a “real tragedy.” Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and vocal critic of former President Donald Trump’s immigration policies, was an American citizen born in Illinois.

“The death of an American citizen, as we’ve seen, raises significant questions about federal tactics and the need for accountability,” Stitt said during an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.” He added, “People across the country are deeply troubled by what they’re witnessing.”

When asked whether he believes President Trump should consider withdrawing immigration agents from Minnesota, Stitt remarked that such a decision lies with the president.

“At the moment, I think he’s receiving poor counsel,” Stitt noted.

The governor said the Republican president needed to tell the American people what the solution and “endgame” are, and that there needed to be solutions instead of politicizing the situation. “Right now, tempers are just going crazy and we need to calm this down,” Stitt said.

Other Republicans, including Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, also conveyed unease. In a social media post, Cassidy called the shooting “incredibly disturbing” and that the “credibility of ICE and DHS are at stake.” Tillis urged a “thorough and impartial investigation.”

“Any administration official who rushes to judgment and tries to shut down an investigation before it begins are doing an incredible disservice to the nation and to President Trump’s legacy,” Tillis said in a post.

Administration officials were firm in their defense of the hard-line immigration tactics.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said “it’s a tragedy when anyone dies” but he blamed Democratic leaders in Minnesota for “fomenting chaos.”

“There are a lot of paid agitators who are ginning things up and the governor has not done a good job of tamping this down,” Bessent said on ABC’s “This Week.”

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Associated Press writer Michelle L. Price contributed to this report