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German chancellor finds "level of violence" in U.S. "worrying"

Xinhua
| January 27, 2026
2026-01-27

BERLIN, Jan. 27 (Xinhua) -- German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Monday called the "level of violence" in the United States "worrying" following recent fatal shootings by federal agents in the U.S. state of Minnesota.

Speaking at a press conference in the northern German city of Hamburg, Merz was asked for his views on the incidents in which two American citizens were killed during U.S. federal enforcement operations.

"I assume that the American authorities will now thoroughly investigate whether it was necessary to shoot in these cases and whether there really was a threat to the officers involved," Merz said.

The chancellor's remarks followed two deadly encounters this month in Minneapolis, the largest city in Minnesota. On Saturday morning, Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal agents, following a similar incident on Jan. 7, when Renee Nicole Good was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. Enditem

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