On Saturday, videos circulated depicting the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis. The incident sparked significant controversy, with Minnesota Democratic leaders asserting that the footage indicated an overreaction by untrained federal officers, while the Trump administration contended that Pretti had provoked the violent confrontation.
This shooting represented the second incident involving federal immigration authorities resulting in death in Minneapolis within the same month. The first occurred on January 7 and involved a woman named Renee Good, which had similarly ignited political discord.
The occurrence on Saturday took place around 9 a.m. during a brief scuffle, leading to the shooting that administration officials claimed was defensive. According to the Border Patrol, Pretti was allegedly holding a semiautomatic handgun and was “violently” resisting arrest at the time of his shooting. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey stated he had seen several videos and described the scene as federal agents “pummeling” an unarmed civilian, leading to what he termed an “invasion” of Minneapolis and St. Paul as a result of the Trump administration's more aggressive immigration enforcement, known as Operation Metro Surge.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the actions of the agents, claiming that Pretti had attacked them, while Customs and Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino stated Pretti intended to do “maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.” The shooting happened while officers were engaged in the pursuit of a man illegally residing in the country, wanted for domestic assault, as protesters attempted to disrupt the law enforcement operation, making noise and using high-pitched whistles.
In the moments leading up to the shooting, videos show Pretti standing close to an officer and appearing to engage him verbally. As tensions escalated, the situation continued to deteriorate with officers attempting to control the crowd, using pepper spray at times. Pretti appears to step in front of a fellow protester who was being shoved by an officer, only to be forcefully dealt with by the agents who surrounded him amid skirmishes with protesters. At one point, Pretti reportedly struggled against attempts to arrest him as federal agents tried to seize his arms.
A significant moment captured on video shows a hovering officer retracting slightly while holding what seems to be a gun, just before the first shot is fired as someone yells “gun.” It remains unclear from the videos who fired first, but a different video suggests an officer might have drawn his weapon just before the first shot was heard. After several shots rang out, Pretti was seen slumping to the ground as officers retreated, some continuing to draw their firearms.
Following the incident, the Department of Homeland Security claimed that Pretti had approached the officers brandishing a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. Although he was licensed to carry a concealed weapon, the specifics regarding whether he brandished or concealed the gun remain undisclosed. Officials stated that officers fired “defensive shots” following Pretti's alleged violent resistance.
The characterization of the incident elicited strong condemnation from Governor Walz, who denounced the officers' actions after reviewing multiple angles of the videos. In a statement expressing his dismay, he declared the footage to be “sickening.” President Donald Trump also took to social media to criticize local leaders, questioning the absence of local law enforcement during the encounter and sharing images of the gun claimed to have been involved.
