A newly released high-definition video has ignited fresh controversy surrounding the fatal shooting of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers, with the footage appearing to directly contradict official accounts from the Department of Homeland Security.
Video Evidence Challenges Official Narrative
The stabilised and slowed footage, meticulously reviewed frame by frame by the Daily Mail and local Minneapolis journalists, captures the critical final seconds before gunfire erupted on a city street. The video shows Pretti, a 37-year-old US citizen and intensive care unit nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital, already pepper-sprayed and on his knees as multiple federal agents surround him.
Contrary to DHS assertions that Pretti "brandished" a weapon and posed an immediate threat, the footage appears to show agents already restraining Pretti face-down on the pavement when his firearm is removed from his waistband. Moments later, another agent fires directly into Pretti's back.
Journalistic Analysis Undermines Official Claims
Lou Raguse, an investigative journalist with KARE 11 News in Minneapolis who has examined every available video of the incident, stated that one particular angle proves particularly significant. "You can see the agent in gray pull Pretti's gun out from the back of his pants right in front of this Border Patrol agent who draws his weapon," Raguse explained.
"That agent then fires up to ten times again after Alex Pretti is disarmed. I froze the video right before the second shot, which appeared to be right into Alex's back." Raguse emphasised that the footage directly contradicts Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem's repeated claims that Pretti brandished a weapon, noting that "no video even shows Pretti reach for it."
Disturbing Sequence of Events
The newly released clip begins with Pretti already subdued, showing multiple DHS agents struggling to restrain his arms and legs. One agent, wearing a gray jacket and pink baseball cap, reaches into the back of Pretti's waistband and retrieves what appears to be a 9mm semi-automatic handgun.
As the officer moves away holding the weapon, it's believed Pretti's own gun may have accidentally discharged while in the officer's hands. In the ensuing confusion, another agent draws his firearm and fires directly into Pretti's back, causing him to collapse onto the street.
Agents are then seen backing away into the road as additional shots ring out, with approximately ten shots fired in total while Pretti lies motionless. Federal officials have yet to explain why lethal force was employed after Pretti appeared to be both restrained and disarmed.
Medical Witness Alleges Delayed Aid
Adding to the mounting scrutiny, a 29-year-old pediatrician who witnessed the aftermath from his nearby apartment submitted an affidavit describing how federal agents initially prevented him from reaching Pretti to administer medical assistance.
"At first, the ICE agents wouldn't let me through," the doctor wrote. "They repeatedly asked me for my physician's license, which I obviously didn't have." When eventually permitted to approach after being patted down for weapons, the doctor expressed confusion at what he observed.
"I was confused as to why the victim was on his side, because that is not standard practice when a victim has been shot," he stated. "Checking for a pulse and administering CPR is standard practice. Instead of doing either of those things, the ICE agents appeared to be counting his bullet wounds."
Family Outrage and Community Response
Pretti's family has issued a searing statement accusing the Trump administration of spreading "sickening lies" about their son's death. They insist video evidence clearly shows Pretti holding a cellphone, not a gun, as he tried to protect a woman who had been shoved by agents.
"Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump's murdering and cowardly ICE thugs," the family declared. "He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down all while being pepper sprayed."
The shooting occurred just over a mile from where Renee Good, 37, was killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer on January 7th, a case that had already sparked weeks of protests in Minneapolis. Following Saturday's shooting, hundreds of protesters flooded the frigid streets, clashing with federal officers who deployed batons and flash bangs, prompting Governor Tim Walz to activate the Minnesota National Guard.
Remembering Alex Pretti
Pretti was remembered by his grieving family as "a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse." An avid outdoorsman who enjoyed mountain biking and adventures with his recently deceased Catahoula Leopard dog, Joule, Pretti had participated in protests following Good's killing.
"He cared about people deeply and he was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis and throughout the United States with ICE," said Michael Pretti, Alex's father. "He thought it was terrible, you know, kidnapping children, just grabbing people off the street. He cared about those people, and he knew it was wrong, so he did participate in protests."
As night fell on Saturday, hundreds gathered somberly at a growing memorial at the shooting scene, with candles lit and flowers placed in tribute. Nearby businesses stayed open to offer warmth, water, coffee and snacks to mourners and protesters alike, creating spaces for community gathering amidst the tragedy.
