A Minneapolis woman recounts death of Alex Pretti as lawyers eye a class action lawsuit

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A Minneapolis woman who confronted federal immigration officers alongside Alex Pretti in January was among a group of potential litigants who spoke out Thursday about alleged excessive force against people protesting or monitoring the enforcement surge in Minnesota.

Georgia Savageford, who introduced herself as Wynnie at a news conference, said she was inside an officer's vehicle when she saw federal agents shoot Pretti.

“That day has changed me forever,” she said. "The trauma will haunt me for the rest of my life, and I will never be the same.”

Savageford said she had been legally observing the actions of federal officers in Minneapolis ever since the shooting death of Renee Good by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer on Jan. 7. She said she was doing so again on the morning of Jan. 24 when an agent pushed her twice and caused her to fall.

“As I was going down, three agents proceeded to tackle me and drag me face-down into the middle of the street. They knelt on my back, twisted my arms and my legs to the ground, and handcuffed me. The cuffs were so tight I lost feeling in my hands, which resulted in temporary nerve damage,” she recounted.

Officials with the Department of Homeland Security and ICE did not immediately respond Thursday to emails seeking comment. Minnesota officials sued the Trump administration on Tuesday for access to evidence they say they need to independently investigate the killings.

Savageford said Pretti recorded video of her arrest and yelled at agents to leave her alone.

She said the officers put her in the back of a vehicle, from which she saw agents shoot and kill Pretti on the other side of the street.

"At that moment, I thought I was going to die too. I pleaded with the agents to understand why another life was taken, and to not take mine,” she said.

She added that they told her to shut up and to stop being hysterical. She said they then took her to an ICE holding facility where she was held for 12 hours in a cold cell without ready access to food, water or the bathroom until she was released without being charged.

"I did not know him, but I knew he had my back," she said of Pretti. “I know the kind of heart he had. One that loves and protects without limits.”

Savageford shared her story at a news conference where civil rights attorney John Burris, of Oakland, California, and other lawyers laid out how they’re paving the way for potential class-action lawsuits over alleged excessive force used against protesters and monitors.

Burris, who specializes in police misconduct, helped win an $11 million settlement against the Oakland Police Department in 2003, and helped win a civil jury verdict of $3.8 million for the late motorist Rodney King, who was beaten by Los Angeles police officers in 1991.

He said he and his colleagues have filed complaints with federal agencies involved in the Minnesota enforcement surge on behalf of 10 people, including Savageford, as the first step in a process that's likely to lead to a larger class-action lawsuit.

“We have many others that are under investigation that have not completed the process. But I thought it was important for us to start this process now. Put the government on notice that we’re here,” Burris said.

Attorney John Burris speaks during a news conference in Minneapolis, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (Leila Navidi/Minnesota Star Tribune via AP)

Attorney John Burris speaks during a news conference in Minneapolis, Thursday, March 26, 2026. (Leila Navidi/Minnesota Star Tribune via AP)

Georgia Savageford speaks during a news conference in Minneapolis, Thursday, March 26, 2026, about being detained by federal agents. (Leila Navidi/Minnesota Star Tribune via AP)

Georgia Savageford recalls watching federal immigration officers fatally shoot Alex Pretti during a news conference Thursday, March 26, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Mark Vancleave)

SAN DIEGO (AP) — Kevin McGonigle quickly proved that the Detroit Tigers' made the right call by putting him on their opening day roster.

The 21-year-old rookie hit the first big league pitch he saw for a bases-loaded, two-run double in the Tigers' four-run first inning against San Diego on Thursday. He kept on going, getting hits in his next two at-bats as well as scoring his first big league runs.

He added a fourth hit in the ninth inning and finished 4 for 5 with two RBIs and two runs scored in the Tigers' 8-2 win.

“I guess I've got to start not sleeping before every game. Last night, I got barely any sleep,” McGonigle said. “I'm just happy we won today and I'm looking forward to keep helping this team as much as I can this year.”

He said he got about four hours of sleep, “but woke up feeling great, ready to go.”

McGonigle was the youngest Tigers player named to an opening day roster since Omar Infante in 2003.

And then he became the youngest Tigers player with three hits in his debut since Shannon Penn on April 28, 1995.

McGonigle kept the line moving as the Tigers took advantage of Nick Pivetta's wildness in support of two-time AL Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal.

Batting sixth, he came up for the first time as a big leaguer after Pivetta threw four straight balls to Spencer Torkelson to bring in the Tigers' first run with one out on a sunny, 74-degree afternoon at Petco Park. He drove the first pitch he saw down the right field line to bring in Colt Keith and Riley Greene for a 3-0 lead.

“First pitch, cutter up and in. I knew he was going up with something firm and he threw it right in the spot I was looking at and I was happy to pull it down the line,” McGonigle said.

“I was nervous,” he added. “It's weird. I think right when I started my load to hit, it went away. I felt great out there, very confident. I'm looking to keep that going.”

McGonigle followed that with a fly ball off the top of the right field wall in the third and hustled into second for another double to move Spencer Torkelson to third base. They both scored on Parker Meadows' single to left field.

He beat out an infield single to shortstop in the fifth and was aboard for Dillon Dingler's homer that made it 8-0.

McGonigle, who started at third base, finally made an out in the seventh when he popped up to third baseman Manny Machado in shallow left.

Several family members were in attendance and McGonigle planned to give each of his parents a ball that was used in the game.

A first-round pick in the 2023 draft, McGonigle had a hot spring that allowed him to skip Triple-A after playing in just 46 games in AA last season.

“What a debut,” manager A.J. Hinch said.

“He can hit. He won't be as nervous as that at-bat, and if that's the nervous version of him, we're in for a fun year,” the manager added. “I like the fact he was aggressive on his pitch. Obviously a big hit to open up the game a little bit and give us some breathing room. That set the tone for a really good day for him and for us.”

Said Greene: “It looked like that was his, like, 700th game out there. It was pretty impressive to see. It's pretty cool to see.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

Detroit Tigers' Dillon Dingler (13) is congratulated by Kevin McGonigle (7) after hitting a two-run home run during the fifth inning of an opening-day baseball game against the San Diego Padres Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) CORRECTS SPELLING OF McGonigle from McGonigal.

Detroit Tigers' Kevin McGonigle (7) celebrates after hitting an RBI double as San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts (2) looks on during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) CORRECTS SPELLING OF McGonigle from McGonigal.

Detroit Tigers' Kevin McGonigle (7) hits a double during the third inning of an opening-day baseball game against the San Diego Padres Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) CORRECTS SPELLING OF McGonigle from McGonigal.

Detroit Tigers' Kevin McGonigle (7) hits a double during the third inning of an opening-day baseball game against the San Diego Padres Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) CORRECTS SPELLING OF McGonigle from McGonigal.

Detroit Tigers' Kevin McGonigle watches his RBI double during the first inning of an opening-day baseball game against the San Diego Padres, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Diego. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy) CORRECTS SPELLING OF McGonigle from McGonigal.