CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Chillicothe’s mayor issued a statement expressing grief and frustration over the killing of Alex Pretti in a recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement–involved shooting in Minneapolis, while urging residents to contact U.S. senators ahead of a vote on funding for the agency.
“The killing of Alex Pretti is sickening,” the mayor said in a public statement. “He feels like someone we could have known. He could have worked at our VA. He could have mountain biked at Great Seal. I’m sick of it. I’m tired. It all feels very hopeless.”
The mayor acknowledged feelings of numbness and exhaustion but encouraged residents not to disengage. “If this is how you feel, that is ok. But don’t become numb,” the statement said. “I feel numb, but I refuse to let the weight of it all shut me down.”
The mayor urged residents to take action in various ways, including showing kindness to neighbors, attending protests, or contacting elected officials, noting that the U.S. Senate is scheduled to vote this week on legislation that includes funding for ICE.
Ohio’s two U.S. senators, Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted, will both vote on the bill, the mayor said, adding that Husted is on the ballot this year. Contact information for both senators’ Columbus offices was shared in the statement.
The mayor also released the full text of a message sent to the senators, urging them to oppose additional ICE funding without reforms:
“I am writing as a constituent to urge you to vote against additional funding for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement unless and until there are meaningful changes in how the agency is carrying out its duties,” the message states.
While expressing respect for law enforcement, the mayor said concerns about ICE remain. “That said, I do not support the way ICE is carrying out its responsibilities for our nation,” the message continues. “Recent events, most notably the killing of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, are shocking, tragic, and completely unacceptable. They undermine public confidence, strain communities, and erode respect for lawful authority.”
The message concludes by calling for reform, transparency, and accountability, and asks senators to oppose further funding for ICE at this time.