A newly surfaced video depicts a volatile confrontation days before Alex Pretti’s death, revealing a man resembling him engaging in aggressive acts toward federal agents in Minneapolis. The footage, reportedly captured on January 13th, shows the individual, matching Pretti’s description, unleashing a barrage of verbal abuse and physical defiance.
The man is seen vehemently shouting obscenities and deliberately spitting at the agents. He then escalates the situation by forcefully kicking the taillight of a government SUV, shattering the glass. His actions are accompanied by repeated gestures of hostility, directed squarely at the law enforcement officers.
As agents respond, exiting the vehicle to subdue him, a chaotic scene unfolds. Pepper balls and tear gas are deployed toward a gathering crowd of onlookers, yet the man is ultimately released from immediate custody. He doesn’t retreat, instead lingering with other protesters who continue to taunt the federal officers.
A chilling detail emerges as the man steps away: a visible firearm appears to be tucked into his waistband. Despite this, he remains at the scene, continuing to participate in the vocal opposition against law enforcement. This proximity to others while armed adds a layer of complexity to the unfolding events.
The Pretti family has confirmed the individual in the video is indeed Alex Pretti. His family’s attorney vehemently argues that this prior incident, occurring a week before his fatal shooting, provides no justification for the use of deadly force. They maintain he posed no immediate threat.
Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and veteran, was fatally shot by Border Patrol agents while documenting federal immigration enforcement activities. Existing video of the shooting depicts him seemingly attempting to aid a woman who had been forcibly brought to the ground by agents before being subjected to chemical irritants and physical restraint.
The footage then shows agents securing a 9mm pistol from his waistband moments before nearly a dozen rounds were fired. Authorities have identified the weapons used as a Glock 19 and a Glock 47, both issued to CBP agents. The sequence of events leading to the gunfire remains a central point of investigation.
Prior to the shooting, agents were conducting enforcement operations amidst a vocal and disruptive crowd. Authorities had instructed civilians to remain on the sidewalk, attempting to prevent interference with their duties. The atmosphere was already charged with tension and animosity.
Reports indicate that Pretti resisted agents’ attempts to take him into custody, resulting in a physical struggle. During this struggle, an agent repeatedly shouted a warning that the man was armed, a crucial detail that shaped the agents’ response. This claim of being armed is now under intense scrutiny.
This incident marks the second fatal encounter in Minneapolis in recent weeks involving federal immigration agents, highlighting the escalating tensions surrounding enforcement operations and the confrontations with those protesting against ICE. The events underscore a deeply fractured relationship between law enforcement and segments of the community.
