Newly reviewed video footage and eyewitness accounts reveal a dramatically different timeline of events leading to the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Federal officials initially claimed Pretti approached Border Patrol agents armed and intending to attack them during an immigration enforcement operation. However, verified recordings show him holding a phone, apparently documenting the scene, as officers repeatedly pushed, restrained, and pepper-sprayed him. The encounter escalated rapidly as multiple agents forced him to the ground. Moments later, officers drew weapons, removed a handgun from Pretti’s waistband, and within seconds fired multiple shots, killing him. Medical reports confirmed he suffered gunshot wounds to his chest, back, and neck. The video evidence has raised serious questions about whether Pretti posed an immediate threat and whether excessive force was used.
Pretti’s death sparked protests across Minneapolis and renewed national debate over federal law enforcement tactics. Former President Barack Obama publicly condemned the shooting, calling it a heartbreaking tragedy and accusing the administration of spreading misleading explanations contradicted by video evidence. Pretti’s family also rejected official claims, stating he was trying to protect a woman who had been pushed by officers and insisting he was holding only his phone when attacked. Remembered as a compassionate ICU nurse devoted to serving veterans, Pretti’s final moments have become a symbol of growing public outrage over accountability, transparency, and the use of force. As investigations continue, his death has ignited a broader reckoning over federal policing practices and the urgent demand for justice.