Minneapolis is grappling with profound tensions following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by federal agents on Saturday, marking the second such incident involving immigration enforcement personnel this month. The event has triggered a major clash between federal authorities and local leadership, with starkly contradictory narratives emerging about the circumstances.
Pretti, a US citizen and intensive care nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, was killed during what officials described as a targeted operation in the Whittier neighborhood. The confrontation occurred at approximately 9:05 a.m. near the intersection of Nicollet Avenue and 26th Street, though accounts of what transpired diverge dramatically.
According to federal authorities, Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino stated that Pretti approached agents brandishing a 9mm handgun and exhibited violent resistance during attempts to disarm him. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the agents’ actions, characterizing their response as appropriate to an assault situation and consistent with their training protocols.
Contradicting this official version, multiple eyewitness videos and testimonies present a different sequence of events. Footage indicates Pretti was filming agents with his phone while attempting to direct traffic near the operation area. Witness accounts suggest he intervened to assist a woman who had been shoved to the ground by an agent. Video evidence shows Pretti being pepper-sprayed and physically subdued by at least six agents while positioned between the woman and law enforcement. Critical footage captures an officer removing a handgun from Pretti’s waistband moments before another agent discharged their weapon. Audible gunshots are heard while Pretti remained pinned to the ground.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara expressed significant skepticism toward the federal account, noting Pretti was a lawful firearm owner with a permit to carry and no criminal history beyond parking violations. Chief O’Hara further revealed that federal agencies have withheld specific incident details from local police. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz denounced the federal narrative as containing falsehoods and demanded an independent investigation by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. Judicial authorities have intervened with a temporary restraining order prohibiting federal agencies from destroying or altering evidence related to the shooting.