Morning Joe co-host Willie Geist delivered a powerful condemnation of what he termed "partisan hacks" during Thursday's broadcast, following the emergence of new footage showing the late Alex Pretti in a confrontation with federal immigration agents. The video, filmed in Minneapolis on January 13 by The News Movement, depicts events that occurred more than a week before Pretti's fatal shooting by Border Patrol officers.
Geist's Passionate On-Air Response
Geist, 50, who was filling in for regular host Joe Scarborough, made his remarks after co-host Mika Brzezinski, 58, presented the newly surfaced footage. Brzezinski expressed dismay at how "some on the right have pounced on this video - with craven abandon - saying that this is proof that Pretti deserved to die." She emphasised the disturbing reality that certain individuals were using their platforms to spread such narratives.
Geist immediately took up the issue, stating: "Yeah. I mean, in the desperate search by some partisan hacks to find a justification for the shooting death in the streets of Alex Pretti, some of them think they've found something in the video that you just played and described." He pointed out the crucial timeline, noting the incident occurred eleven days prior to Pretti's death and in a different location within Minneapolis.
A Question of Proportional Response
While acknowledging that Pretti's behaviour in the video "maybe not the way you or I would have behaved at a rally or a protest," Geist posed a fundamental question about proportionality. "But my god, are you suggesting that because he heckled officers and then kicked in their taillights, that 11 days later he deserved to be effectively executed in the streets of the city? Is that the case you're making? That's insane," he declared passionately.
The footage shows 37-year-old ICU nurse Pretti being taken to the ground by federal immigration agents after spitting at and kicking out the taillight of one of their vehicles. Geist highlighted to co-host Jonathan Lemire how the agents in this earlier incident managed to subdue Pretti without resorting to deadly force. "They got him on the ground and then they released him. They did not fire 8 to 9 shots into his body," he noted pointedly.
Controversial Video Sparks Divided Reactions
The newly emerged video has generated significant controversy and divided commentary across the political spectrum. Prominent conservative figures including Megyn Kelly, Donald Trump Jr, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution's Erick Erickson, The National Review's Rich Lowry, and podcaster Tim Pool all shared comments about the footage after it came to light.
In the video, Pretti is seen wearing an identical brown outfit to the one he wore on the day of his death. The clip begins with him angrily spitting at the window of a Ford Expedition SUV containing federal officers conducting raids, while screaming obscenities. As the vehicle begins to pull away, Pretti kicks its tail light, shattering it. An officer then exits the car, engages with Pretti, and pins him to the ground as bystanders scream. Pretti, who appeared to have a gun in his waistband as he did during the fatal incident, subsequently collected his belongings and walked away.
Contradictory Accounts of Fatal Incident
The fatal shooting occurred on January 24, roughly two miles from where the earlier video was filmed. According to witness accounts, Pretti had been directing traffic during a standoff between agents and residents locked in a nearby donut shop. Several bystanders filmed Pretti being taken to the ground again by approximately half a dozen officers.
As he was being subdued, one officer spotted Pretti's weapon - which he was licensed to carry - and shouted, "He's got a gun." Two officers quickly opened fire, killing Pretti despite the weapon having already been confiscated in the confusion. This account appears to contradict initial statements from Trump administration officials, who claimed Pretti had approached officers with a gun and was the instigator.
Further footage from the January 24 incident suggests Pretti may have been attempting to help a female protester who was pushed to the ground by an ICE agent by positioning his body between them, adding complexity to the official narrative.
Ongoing Investigations and Broader Context
The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed they are investigating the new footage, with sources indicating the involved agents have been suspended pending the ongoing probe. The FBI and DHS are jointly overseeing the investigation into Pretti's death.
This incident occurs against a backdrop of heightened tensions in Minneapolis between residents and agents participating in Operation Metro Surge, a initiative launched by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security last month. The killing of Pretti follows just weeks after another 37-year-old protester, Renee Good, was shot and killed by ICE agent Jonathan Ross under different circumstances. In Good's case, the shooting was deemed justified without undergoing a criminal investigation.
As investigations continue, the emergence of this earlier footage and the passionate response from media figures like Willie Geist highlight the deep divisions in how such incidents are interpreted and the ongoing debate about appropriate use of force by immigration enforcement agencies.
