A significant divergence from the official account of the fatal confrontation involving federal agents and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis has emerged through sworn testimony. Two key witnesses have asserted in affidavits filed in federal court that Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was not brandishing a firearm when he approached the agents, directly challenging previous claims made by Trump administration officials seeking to justify the use of lethal force.
The affidavits were submitted late Saturday as part of an ACLU lawsuit filed on behalf of Minneapolis protesters targeting homeland security officials overseeing the ongoing immigration crackdown in the city. One key witness is the individual who captured the clearest video footage of the incident, while the second is a local physician who was reportedly barred by officers from immediately rendering medical assistance to the gunshot victim.
The individual who recorded the shooting, identified only as a children's entertainer, stated emphatically that she observed no weapon in Pretti’s possession. Her testimony details Pretti intervening after agents forcibly shoved another observer to the ground. She described agents tackling Pretti, followed by the deployment of a chemical agent against both Pretti and the woman he was assisting. “I didn’t see him with a gun. They threw him to the ground. Four or five agents had him on the ground and they just started shooting him,” the witness stated, adding that Pretti “approached them with a camera. He was just trying to help a woman get up.”
The second witness, a physician, observed the events from their apartment window. While noting Pretti had been shouting at the agents prior to the shooting, the doctor confirmed they “did not see him attack the agents or brandish a weapon of any kind.” Critically, the physician recounted being initially denied access to the victim by ICE agents. Upon gaining access, the doctor noted officers were focused on examining the wounds rather than administering CPR. The physician later determined Pretti had sustained “at least three bullet wounds in his back,” alongside injuries to the chest and neck.
This emerging firsthand evidence directly conflicts with statements from senior administration figures, including the President and the Homeland Security Secretary, who characterized Pretti as a “gunman” who threatened officers. The testimony underscores escalating tensions surrounding federal enforcement operations in the city, suggesting a significant gap between official justification and on-the-ground accounts of the use of force. The legal proceedings initiated by the ACLU are expected to scrutinize the veracity of these competing narratives.
Source: Based on reporting from The Guardian.