Dave Matthews Band Speaks Out on Minneapolis Events

The Dave Matthews Band has expressed their deep shock over the recent events in Minneapolis, Minnesota, stating, “It’s hard to believe this is America,” and labeling President Trump’s administration as “disgraceful.”

“The images emerging from Minneapolis are horrifying. It’s painful to witness, and I can’t believe this is America,” the band said in a statement shared on X.

The band further emphasized that “there is so much shameful misconduct coming out of Washington right now,” asserting that “If ICE wasn’t in Minneapolis, Renee Nicole Good and Alex Preti would still be alive today.”

Renee Goode was tragically shot and killed by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this month after an incident where an agitator drove into the officer’s vehicle.

In another tragic incident, Alex Preti was shot and killed by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer during an altercation in Minneapolis.

“It all makes no sense and is incredibly cruel. We need to find a better way,” the Dave Matthews Band commented.

The band concluded their statement by announcing a donation from the Bama Works Foundation, which they established in 1999, to the ACLU and the ACLU of Minnesota as a show of support.

Reports indicate that during the Saturday shooting involving Preti, he was armed during the confrontation, a detail that has not been disputed.

Additionally, CNN has reported that during the scuffle, Preti was said to have a “gun” in his waistband.

The CBP Use of Force Policy stipulates that the use of deadly force is justified if an agent reasonably believes that someone poses an imminent risk of death or serious bodily injury.

This policy bases its standards on what the agent perceives at the time rather than public opinion or delayed reviews of video footage.