Colorado’s Democrats called for an “impartial” investigation into the death of a man shot by a federal agent during an immigration operation on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the chief of the Border Patrol defended the shooting, saying Alex Pretti inserted himself in an ongoing law enforcement operation.

Gov. Jared Polis called the shooting “tragic and unacceptable.” Pretti’s parents live in Arvada.

“There must be a full and impartial investigation in this fatal shooting in Minnesota, and full accountability for those responsible and involved,” Gov. Jared Polis said in a statement on X.

U.S. Sen. Michael Bennet, who is running for governor, concluded that Pretti’s death is “murder.” Attorney General Phil Weiser, who is also vying for the governor’s seat in the Democratic primary, said he is “angry.”

“I am horrified to hear ICE murdered another person in Minneapolis this morning. This violence is wreaking havoc on our communities and it must stop. The President needs to remove these federal agents from our cities now,” Bennet said on X.

Bennet also said Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem must “resign and the dehumanizing policies must end immediately.”

On the same media platform, Weiser said the more he learned about the incident, “the angrier I get.”

“He was a great American. His family and America deserve answers and accountability. May his memory help us stop ICE’s continued unmasked, unjustified, and dangerous operations,” Weiser said.

Border Patrol czar Gregory Bovino defended law enforcement agents on Sunday. Bovino said Pretti “decided to inject himself” into an act of law enforcement, adding that the shooting would be investigated.

“In fact, I believe that the fantastic training that our law enforcement partners have, the fact that they‘re highly trained, prevented any specific shootings of law enforcement. So good job for our law enforcement in taking him down before he was able to do that,” Bovino said on CNN’s State of the Union. “Let‘s look at why he was there in the first place.”

The federal agent shot Pretti on Saturday after the Department of Homeland Security said Pretti approached agents armed with a handgun. DHS did not specify if Pretti brandished the gun.

Video reviewed by the Washington Examiner shows Pretti holding a cellphone, as he tries to intervene with a federal agent pushing a woman to the ground. The agent pepper-sprays Pretti. Soon, at least five agents attempt to subdue Pretti, according to the Examiner’s video review. While Pretti is on the ground, one agent appears to remove Pretti’s weapon from his waistband and away from the scene. Another agent points his gun at Pretti and multiple shots ring out, according to the Examiner’s review.

In a statement on X, DHS said that federal officers were conducting an operation targeting an “illegal alien wanted for violent assault” when an individual “approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun.”

“The officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted,” DHS said, adding that, “fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots.”

The Washington Examiner and The Denver Gazette contributed to this article.