Why are Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert calling Federal Agents ‘Goons’ after Minneapolis shooting?

31st Annual Critics Choice Awards - Press Room - Source: Getty
31st Annual Critics Choice Awards - Press Room - Source: Getty

The latest comments from late-night TV personalities Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert are making headlines in the wake of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis. Both late-night TV personalities addressed the issue in their Monday night TV shows, but their tone and style in addressing the issue were different, even though they were addressing the same issue. Their comments are being shared by many people all over the country, and there are many debates in the media and on social networking sites about the issue of law enforcement, the government, and the general state of the country.

Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis on January 24 in a federal operation that involved Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents. According to the Department of Homeland Security, Alex Pretti posed a threat, but the viral video that is being shared by many people about the incident tells a different story. Alex Pretti is shown unarmed with his phone in his hand before he was tackled and shot by the federal agents.

Why Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert Called Federal Agents ‘Goons’

In his show titled “Jimmy Kimmel Live!” on Monday night, Jimmy Kimmel broke down in tears while talking about the death of Alex Pretti and the federal operations in Minneapolis. In his show, Jimmy Kimmel referred to the federal agents involved in the operation as a

“gang of poorly-trained, shamefully-led, mask-wearing goons.”

Jimmy Kimmel expressed his astonishment and surprise at the story being told by the Trump Administration and expressed his inability to understand the violence depicted in the video. Jimmy Kimmel stated that Pretti was not waving a weapon; however, he was still shot by the federal agents.

The tone taken by Stephen Colbert was even harsher at the beginning of his show titled “The Late Show” as he cursed ICE and railed against the government’s attempt to portray ICE agents as victims. The topic discussed by Colbert was the disparity between the official story and the videos being shared on the internet by various people. He discussed the concern being expressed by people at the sight of federal agents running amok in Minneapolis. His comments were met with applause from the people in attendance at his show. These comments by Kimmel and Stephen Colbert went viral as they addressed the shock and anger being expressed by people at the death of Pretti.

These comments did not just elicit laughter; however, they became a part of the larger conversation being discussed across the nation. Reactions to this topic have come pouring in from all sides, and this topic has become a part of the larger conversation being discussed about the government and how the American people perceive their government. Whether it is the loss of life or the role of the government in American society, the comments by Kimmel and Stephen Colbert represent a larger conversation being discussed across the nation.

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Edited by Heba Arshad