Democrats Block Spending Bill After Minneapolis Shooting

Federal agents shot and killed a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident, Alex Jeffrey Pretti, on Saturday morning during an immigration enforcement operation, prompting Senate Democrats to vow opposition to a bipartisan spending package and heightening the risk of a partial government shutdown by January 30.

Pretti, a U.S. citizen and intensive care nurse, was protesting the Trump administration's immigration crackdown targeting the city's Somali-American community when the incident occurred. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Pretti arrived at the scene armed and intent on harming law enforcement. Witnesses and local reports, however, indicated he was holding a cellphone at the time. The shooting marks the second fatal encounter involving federal agents in Minneapolis this month; earlier, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent killed Renee Good, another 37-year-old local resident, during a similar operation.

The backlash unfolded rapidly in Washington, where lawmakers are racing to pass a six-bill appropriations package totaling about $1.33 trillion to fund the bulk of federal agencies through the fiscal year ending in October. The measure, which cleared the House...