New Video Angles Reveal Federal Agents' Actions Before Fatal Shooting
Freshly obtained footage provides stark new perspectives on the January 13 confrontation between federal agents and intensive care nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, occurring just eleven days before his fatal shooting by Border Patrol officers. The video, secured exclusively by The Independent, captures previously unseen moments from the heated altercation that has become central to growing national outrage over immigration enforcement tactics in Minnesota.
Detailed Account of the January 13 Incident
The newly released footage shows Pretti, a 37-year-old US citizen, kicking the taillight of a government vehicle at the intersection of East 36 Street and Park Avenue. This action prompted immediate response from between four and five heavily armed federal agents wearing gas masks, who aggressively surrounded and wrestled Pretti to the pavement. Witnesses present at the scene described the agents as being "very, very aggressive" from the outset, with their demeanor angering neighborhood residents who had gathered over concerns about potential immigration detentions.
According to two Minneapolis witnesses who filmed the incident and spoke to The Independent under conditions of anonymity for security reasons, the federal officers appeared to be deliberately provoking a reaction. "By all counts they appeared to be trying to kick up this kind of reaction," one witness stated, while another emphasized that "a lot of people are very angry because [the agents] were being very, very aggressive."
Escalation and Aftermath
As Pretti was pinned to the ground, crowd members responded by screaming at the agents, blowing whistles, and honking vehicle horns to alert the neighborhood to the unfolding situation. Federal officers eventually released Pretti from their grasp, and what appeared to be a firearm was visible in his waistband in videos released earlier this week showing the confrontation. Despite this, no arrest was made, and the federal officers returned to their vehicles.
Shortly afterward, the security forces fired what appeared to be pepper spray and gas directly into the gathered crowd. "They're brutalizing people. They were firing directly into the crowds. Then just smoked the crap out of our neighborhood," the second witness recounted, adding that "overwhelmingly, we came away, both of us, shocked at how ICE had reacted to this situation. They tear-gassed 50 people. They beat people up. They used pepper spray. They shot pepper balls at people."
Agents' Departure and Subsequent Developments
Following the deployment of gas, the footage shows one agent hitting another on the shoulder as though signaling it was time to leave. The federal officers departed without making any arrests, having released Pretti. The witnesses confirmed they did not see Pretti's gun during this particular encounter, despite its visibility in earlier released footage.
Steve Schleicher, an attorney representing Pretti's family, strongly disputed Republican commentators' claims that the vehicle-kicking incident proved Pretti was not a peaceful protester. "A week before Alex was gunned down in the street – despite posing no threat to anyone – he was violently assaulted by a group of ICE agents," Schleicher stated in a previous declaration to The Independent. "Nothing that happened a full week before could possibly have justified Alex's killing at the hands of ICE on Jan 24."
Connection to Fatal Shooting
On January 24, Pretti was shot and killed by federal agents after intervening to help two female protesters, according to a preliminary review of the incident. The confrontation began when a Customs and Border Protection officer ordered the protesters to move from the road, leading to resistance and the officer deploying pepper spray toward both women and Pretti.
A struggle ensued between the federal agent and Pretti, who resisted attempts to take him into custody. During this altercation, a Border Protection agent repeatedly shouted "He's got a gun!" Approximately five seconds later, the agent discharged his issued firearm, with another agent also firing at Pretti. Video evidence subsequently showed Pretti holding a cell phone rather than a firearm during the moments before the shooting, though he was licensed to carry a concealed weapon in Minnesota, and a firearm was taken from his waistband area by a federal agent immediately before he was shot at least ten times.
Political Fallout and Official Responses
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claimed without evidence that Pretti had "attacked" officers and was "brandishing" a gun, while White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller referred to Pretti as "a domestic terrorist" who had attempted "to assassinate federal law enforcement." These statements echoed claims made by Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino.
The Department of Homeland Security stated it had "no record of this incident" when contacted by The Independent for comment. Reports emerged the day before the video's publication indicating Pretti sustained a broken rib after being tackled by federal officers approximately a week before his killing, though it remains unclear whether this injury occurred during the January 13 incident captured in the latest footage.
Broader Context and Policy Changes
ICE and Border Patrol agents have surged into Minnesota in recent weeks to implement former President Trump's campaign pledge for mass deportations, meeting significant local resistance and sparking nationwide protests following multiple fatalities. Pretti's death appears to have prompted a strategic shift within the Trump administration regarding this enforcement surge.
"[Trump] saw it wasn't playing well," a Republican lawmaker told NBC News. "The visuals were not playing well. He understands TV... He saw it for himself." Following public outcry, Bovino was reassigned to California, while Trump's border czar Tom Homan was dispatched to Minneapolis, where he pledged to remain "until the problem is gone."
Homan acknowledged at a Thursday press conference that "no agency is perfect – we have recognised certain improvements could and should be made," vowing to restore "safety" to the city's streets while maintaining commitment to the administration's immigration objectives. In an apparent effort to reduce tensions, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have since received orders not to engage with protesters in Minnesota, with an official email obtained by news agencies instructing: "DO NOT COMMUNICATE OR ENGAGE WITH AGITATORS. It serves no purpose other than inflaming the situation."
The killing of Alex Pretti and earlier fatal shooting of 37-year-old mother Renee Good by an ICE agent have fueled sustained protests demanding accountability and policy changes regarding federal immigration enforcement tactics in Minnesota communities.
