Washington: Europe and the Arab World

The White House affirmed that President Donald Trump does not want to see anyone harmed on the streets of the United States, as political and public reactions escalate following the killing of an American nurse during protests related to immigration, and the ensuing exchange of accusations between local and federal authorities.

White House spokeswoman Carolyn Leavitt stated that no one in the administration, including President Trump, wants to see "injured or killed" on the streets of America, describing the killing of 37-year-old nurse Alex Peretti by federal agents on Saturday as a "tragedy."

She added, "We share in the family's grief, and as a mother myself, I certainly cannot imagine the loss of a life." In contrast, Levitt blamed Trump's Democratic opponents for the unrest in Minneapolis, arguing that it was the result of "deliberate and hostile resistance" from Democratic leaders in Minnesota. She specifically criticized Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats.

She also accused Democratic officials of spreading "lies" about federal law enforcement officers who "risk their lives every day to keep the worst illegal criminals off our streets," according to Euronews. The killing of the American nurse sparked widespread outrage, with hundreds of protesters taking to the streets of Minneapolis on Sunday to demonstrate against immigration enforcement, a day after he was shot and killed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent during the protests.

The protesters chanted slogans demanding the "removal of Immigration and Customs Enforcement" from Minnesota, expressing their opposition to the operational presence of Immigration and Border Protection agencies in the Minneapolis and St. Paul areas. Attempt to Contain Escalation

In an effort to contain the fallout from the incident, the White House moved to de-escalate tensions. On Monday, President Trump dispatched his top border enforcement official to Minneapolis to monitor developments on the ground.

Trump said that Tom Homan, the official in charge of border security, would report "directly to the president," indicating personal White House oversight of the situation.

In the same vein, Trump revealed that he had a "very good" conversation with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, a Democrat whom the Republican president has long accused of being lenient on illegal immigration and corruption. "In fact, we seemed to get along very well," Trump wrote in a social media post.

Senior administration officials had gone so far as to describe the 37-year-old Peretti as a "domestic terrorist."

Immediately after the incident, Trump commented that the individual killed was armed with a ready-to-use firearm and two additional magazines of ammunition, indicating that law enforcement officers faced a dangerous situation in the field. He added that reports indicated police officers were prevented from performing their duties at the scene, forcing immigration officers to take matters into their own hands during the operation.

The Trump administration and its law enforcement agencies claimed that Preeti was armed and acting aggressively when he confronted officers during protests against Trump's immigration policies.

According to the administration, the possession of a weapon was a decisive factor, and shortly after the incident, the Department of Homeland Security released a photo of a handgun, which it said was the weapon found in Preeti's possession.

Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino said, "The situation suggests that someone wanted to inflict maximum damage and commit a massacre against law enforcement officers." California Attorney General Bill Assili wrote on X: "If you approach law enforcement officers while armed, they likely have a legitimate reason to shoot you. Don't!" Defending the Right to Bear Arms

The US administration's statements sparked angry reactions from several gun rights groups, including the United States Gun Owners Association, which emphasized that the Second Amendment to the US Constitution protects Americans' right to bear arms during protests, and that this right cannot be violated by the federal government.

The National Rifle Association also described Assili's statements as "dangerous and wrong," urging responsible public voices to await a full investigation and refrain from generalizations or demonizing law-abiding citizens.

This incident comes less than three weeks after the fatal shooting of Renee Goode, a US citizen and resident of the city, by an ICE officer on January 7, which ignited daily protests against the federal presence, described by local authorities and activists as aggressive.