MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — As the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minnesota winds down, Minneapolis will need to decide how to manage makeshift memorial sites for two U.S. citizens killed by federal agents last month.
Piles of flowers, signs, and artwork swiftly formed to commemorate the lives of Renee Good and Alex Pretti at the locations where they were fatally shot. The memorials are the site of candlelight vigils and musical performances and draw a regular stream of visitors.
The public grieving spots echo the community-driven memorial to George Floyd, who was murdered in 2020 by a police officer less than a mile from Good’s killing. It took the city more than five years to figure out how to officially memorialize George Floyd Square, and construction is set to begin this year. Now, the city has two more high-profile memorials to manage.
A memorial for Good sprang up within hours of her January 7 killing on a Minneapolis street. Before the smell of tear gas used by federal agents had dissipated on the day of Pretti’s killing on January 24, Minneapolis protesters were already using branches, police tape, and candles to mark the space. Later, people placed crosses, stuffed animals, American flags, and images of Pretti.
"text_continued": "Minnesota resident Karel Hoffmann expressed her outrage regarding the tragic deaths, stating, This is so unfair; the trauma for everyone is too much. We’re all in this together. And I’m really glad they have this here so everybody can come and be together. Lynn Elrod, a nurse who visited Pretti’s memorial, added her own offering, a plastic evergreen tree adorned with hearts and portraits of both individuals.
The residential street where Good died remains open; however, traffic cones offer a narrow walkway for those paying their respects, and a small band of volunteers watches over the area filled with flowers, art, and handwritten signs. Nearby, at the Pretti memorial on the commercial district known as “Eat Street,” traffic lanes have been temporarily shifted and parking is closed off for safety.
The City’s top priority, according to spokesperson Jess Olstad, is to give the community space to grieve and heal. Active discussions are ongoing regarding community engagement about the future of both memorials. Although it's too early to determine whether the memorials will become permanent, city officials affirm their commitment to honoring the community's loss.
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