The Minneapolis Border Patrol shooting of 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti has triggered public outrage, protests, and legal action, as video footage appears to contradict federal claims about the incident.
Federal officials described Mr Pretti as a domestic terrorist who intended to “massacre” law enforcement. However, videos analysed by The New York Times show no evidence that he drew a weapon or threatened officers before they opened fire.
Mr Pretti, an intensive-care nurse, was a US citizen with no criminal record, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara. He held a legal permit to carry a firearm.
Video footage contradicts official claims
Video footage posted on social media shows Mr Pretti stepping between a woman and a federal agent who was pepper-spraying her. Officers then sprayed Mr Pretti, who held a mobile phone in one hand and nothing in the other.
His weapon remained concealed until agents pinned him to the ground and removed it. Moments later, two agents opened fire, shooting him in the back and while he lay on the pavement.
At least ten shots were fired. Mr Pretti died at the scene.
Protests and heavy federal response
The shooting occurred in Minneapolis’ Whittier neighbourhood during a cold morning. It reignited protests in a city already strained by weeks of aggressive federal immigration enforcement.
Federal agents used tear gas and flash bangs to disperse demonstrators who demanded the arrest of the officers involved. Officials said protests were mostly peaceful, though they deployed the National Guard later in the day as a precaution. Around 1,000 people attended a vigil for Mr Pretti at Whittier Park on Saturday night, despite sub-zero temperatures. Over the weekend, residents held vigils near the shooting site. Candles and flowers were laid, and signs reading “stop killing us” were displayed.
Pege Miller, 69, told the BBC: “I’m tired of protesting. We can’t comprehend how this is happening. We’re on tenterhooks.”
Downtown, hundreds joined an impromptu protest. Demonstrators repeatedly chanted: “No more Minnesota nice, Minneapolis will strike.”
Protesters carried signs including “ICE out” and “Veterans Against ICE.” Felix Johnson, a first-time protester, said: “I don’t understand how they can come in and just start snatching people who are citizens.”
Blocked investigation and court intervention
Minnesota authorities said federal agents initially blocked state investigators from accessing the scene. Drew Evans, head of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, said his agency sought a rare search warrant for a public sidewalk.
Federal officials later withdrew, but growing crowds prevented investigators from securing evidence.
A federal judge subsequently issued a temporary restraining order preventing federal agencies from destroying or altering evidence linked to the shooting in Minneapolis. The court scheduled a hearing for Monday.
Federal self-investigation draws criticism
The Department of Homeland Security said it would lead the investigation, with assistance from the FBI. Senior federal officials also suggested that Mr Pretti and local authorities bore responsibility for the incident.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey sharply criticised the Trump administration. He accused federal authorities of terrorising the city and questioned how many more people must be injured or killed.
At least two other people have been shot by federal agents in Minneapolis this month. One of them, 37-year-old Renee Good, died on 7 January.
Witness accounts and medical response concerns
A Minneapolis paediatrician who witnessed the shooting from an apartment window criticised federal agents for failing to check Mr Pretti’s pulse or begin CPR.
The doctor said agents appeared to count bullet wounds instead. After gaining access, the paediatrician found no pulse and began CPR until emergency services arrived.
The witness later said they no longer felt safe in their city, citing repeated shootings linked to federal enforcement actions.
Colleagues remember a ‘Force for Good’
Colleagues described Mr Pretti as kind, professional, and deeply committed to helping others.
“He wanted to help humanity,” said fellow nurse Ruth Anway. “He wanted a career that was a force of good in the world.”
“Yesterday, I fell apart,” said Ann Hotz, a church daycare worker. “Today I’m here to stand with my community and help our neighbours as they remember Alex and mourn him.” Dean Caldwell-Tautges, the church administrator, said supporting the community was “the Christian thing to do.” He handed out whistles used to alert people to ICE activity.
Protests continue despite freezing temperatures, and community leaders emphasise safety and support. Minneapolis, with one of the country’s largest Somali populations, remains at the centre of a national debate over immigration enforcement.
National reaction and political fallout
President Trump said his administration was reviewing the incident but offered no timeline for the withdrawal of agents. Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton criticised the shootings.
Obama said the deaths of Pretti and Good were a “wake-up call” that core US values are under assault. Clinton called the incidents “unacceptable” and urged Americans to stand up for their freedoms.
Business leaders from 60 Minnesota-based companies also called for de-escalation and cooperation with local authorities. Recent polling suggests Americans are divided on Trump’s immigration operations, with some supporting the crackdown and others condemning its execution.
Source: The New York Times, CNN, BBC, Euronews
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