Minneapolis rioters 'bite off' officer's finger as protests erupt after fatal shooting of nurse

Tricia McLaughlin, Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the US Department of Homeland Security, released gruesome photos online, claiming a Homeland Security staffer had his finger "bitten off" in the melee.

"In Minneapolis, these rioters attacked our law enforcement officer and one of them bit off our HSI officer's finger. He will lose his finger," she wrote on X.

Mrs McLaughlin attached two photographs of the officer's hand with a large chunk missing from his right finger, which was streaming with blood.

Another picture appeared to show the severed finger, including the nail, in a clear medical container.

The post also included two images of the alleged rioters who have been accused of the attack.

The protests come after Pretti, a registered nurse, was shot and killed by federal agents after a short struggle with officers on the ground. This follows the death of Renee Good in similar circumstances in the same city earlier this month.

Pretti has been accused of approaching the officers with a 9-mm gun, although chilling footage online appears to show him brandishing a phone, rather than a weapon.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said at a press briefing.

Pretti worked as a registered nurse for the Veterans Health Administration at the Minneapolis VA hospital.

According to Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino, the officer who shot Pretti had been serving with the Border Patrol for the past eight years.

Democrats have brandished Donald Trump's immigration policy as "a campaign of organised brutality" and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz seconded this.

Mr Walz wrote on social media: "Another horrific shooting by federal agents this morning. Minnesota has had it. This is sickening.

"The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now."

Meanwhile, Democrat Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota called the incident an "execution by immigration enforcement".

"I am absolutely heartbroken, horrified, and appalled that federal agents murdered another member of our community," she wrote.

"It is beyond shameful these federal agents are targeting our residents instead of protecting them."

Deputy Chief of Staff for Policy and Homeland Security, Stephen Miller, branded Pretti a "would-be assassin" and blamed Democrats for siding with "terrorists".

Meanwhile, the US President shared a photo of the "gunman's gun" on Truth Social and suggested a cover-up by Minnesota Democrats.

"AMONG OTHER THINGS, THIS IS A ‘COVER UP’ FOR THE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS THAT HAVE BEEN STOLEN FROM THE ONCE GREAT STATE (BUT SOON TO BE GREAT AGAIN!) OF MINNESOTA!" Mr Trump wrote in a separate post.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said agents were in the area to apprehend "an illegal alien wanted for violent assault" when they were approached by Pretti.

"The officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted," the DHS stated on social media.

"Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots.

"The suspect also had 2 magazines and no ID—this looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement."

Police Chief Brian O'Hara later confirmed the 37-year-old who had been killed had no criminal history, other than some parking tickets, and he was a "lawful gun owner" with a permit.

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