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Bystander video challenges key elements of the official account
Videos recorded by bystanders and shared on social media appear to conflict with aspects of the federal government’s description of the shooting. The footage shows Pretti surrounded by several federal agents, with multiple officers restraining him and striking him while he is on the ground. Gunfire can be heard as Pretti remains on the ground during the encounter.
To date, no video has surfaced showing Pretti brandishing or attempting to use a firearm, despite federal officials stating that he possessed a gun. The visual evidence has fueled public debate and raised questions about the accuracy of the initial federal statements.
Minneapolis officials publicly questioned DHS statements
Local officials in Minneapolis offered a different perspective on Pretti’s background and the circumstances surrounding the shooting. Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Pretti had no criminal record, aside from traffic-related offenses. O’Hara also said Pretti was a lawful gun owner and had a permit that allowed him to legally carry a firearm.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said during a press conference that he planned to seek a temporary restraining order from a judge on Monday. The request would aim to provide “immediate relief” to halt the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement operation in the city. Frey also said he formally asked Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to deploy National Guard assistance to support what he described as “the limited number of officers that we have in the Minneapolis Police Department.”
Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar condemned the shooting and called for federal immigration officers to leave the state. “Our message is really clear and straightforward. We need ICE out of Minnesota,” Klobuchar said at a press conference. “They are not making us more safe, as the tragic, tragic killing this morning, as people saw it viscerally on that video shows us, they are making us less safe.”
Governor Walz described the shooting as “sickening” in a social media post and said the state “has had it.” He said he spoke with the White House following the incident and stated that “the President must end this operation.” Walz also referenced the existence of video footage, saying, “Thank God, thank God, we have video because, according to DHS, these seven heroic guys took an onslaught of a battalion against them or something. It’s nonsense, people. It is nonsense, and it’s lies.”
The shooting of Pretti marked the third incident involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers discharging firearms in Minneapolis. It was the second fatal encounter this month. On Jan. 7, ICE officers shot and killed Renee Macklin Good while she was inside her SUV after driving away and partially blocking a Minneapolis street.
In a separate incident, Julio Cesar Sosa-Celia, a Venezuelan national, was shot in the leg by immigration officers during an altercation with federal agents. Together, the incidents have heightened scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement operations in the city.
Conclusion
The killing of Alex Jeffrey Pretti has intensified tensions between federal immigration authorities and Minnesota officials, while bystander footage and conflicting accounts continue to shape public response. As investigations proceed, the shooting remains a focal point in broader debates over immigration enforcement, public safety, and accountability in Minneapolis.
