New Videos Reveal Minneapolis Nurse's Confrontation with ICE Agents Before Fatal Shooting
Newly emerged videos have shed light on a violent confrontation involving Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis intensive care nurse, with federal immigration agents just 11 days before he was fatally shot by Border Patrol officers. The footage, which surfaced on Wednesday, has immediately reignited the national debate surrounding Pretti's death and the actions of law enforcement personnel.
January 13th Altercation Captured on Video
The January 13th scuffle was captured in two separate videos that show Pretti shouting expletives at federal officers and physically struggling with them. During the altercation, Pretti's winter coat comes off as he is taken to the ground by agents. The footage shows him either breaking free or being released by officers before scurrying away from the scene.
When Pretti turns his back to the camera in the video, what appears to be a handgun becomes visible in his waistband. Importantly, the videos do not show Pretti reaching for the weapon at any point during the confrontation, and it remains unclear whether the federal agents present were aware of the firearm.
Family Confirmation and Legal Response
A person with direct knowledge of the incident confirmed to The Associated Press that the individual in the videos is indeed Alex Pretti. According to this source, who spoke anonymously to protect family sensitivities, Pretti had informed his family about the confrontation with immigration agents prior to his death.
Steve Schleicher, a Minneapolis-based attorney representing Pretti's parents, issued a strong statement regarding the newly revealed footage. "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 declared. "Nothing that happened a full week before could possibly have justified Alex's killing at the hands of ICE on January 24th."
National Attention and Political Reactions
The 37-year-old intensive care nurse's death has drawn significant national attention, with the newly released videos amplifying existing debates about law enforcement conduct. Donald Trump Jr., the president's eldest son, posted one of the videos on social media platform X with the comment, "Just a peaceful legal observer," adding political dimension to the ongoing discussion.
Homeland Security Investigations has confirmed that the department "is reviewing" the new videos and the January 13th incident. Officials have not disclosed whether any of the officers involved in the earlier confrontation were also present during the fatal shooting that occurred on January 24th.
Details of the Fatal January 24th Shooting
The fatal shooting occurred on a sidewalk adjacent to the street where Pretti had been recording immigration officers. Bystander videos from that day show one officer pushing Pretti before he is taken to the ground, with approximately half a dozen officers attempting to subdue him. According to these recordings, one officer spots Pretti's weapon—which he was licensed to carry—and shouts, "He's got a gun." Two officers then open fire, resulting in Pretti's death.
Trump administration officials responded quickly to the shooting, asserting that Pretti had approached officers with a gun and attacked them. However, multiple videos of the incident show that Pretti never brandished his firearm and did not assault any officer. The footage reveals he was holding his phone when he was shot in the back while on the ground.
Sources of the New Videos
The videos from the week prior to the shooting came from two distinct sources:
- One video was published by the Minnesota Star Tribune and later obtained by The Associated Press, filmed by witness Max Shapiro who captured the interaction
- A second video was recorded by a crew from The News Movement, an online media outlet
Detailed Account of the January 13th Incident
The footage shows Pretti wearing glasses, a dark baseball cap, and a winter coat as he yells at federal vehicles. At one point, he appears to spit and yell "trash" toward the driver's side of a dark Ford Expedition with flashing red and blue lights.
As the vehicle begins to pull slowly away, Pretti kicks at the taillight, delivering a second kick that shatters the red plastic and leaves the taillight dangling. The rear door of the SUV then swings open, and an immigration officer wearing a gas mask and helmet emerges, walking directly toward Pretti.
The officer grabs Pretti's shirt at chest level, pulling him back toward the vehicle as Pretti's arms flail in response. The officer then pulls Pretti back onto the street and down onto his knees, falling over him during the ensuing scuffle.
Other masked and helmeted officers surround the pair and attempt to subdue Pretti, while additional officers stand guard between the confrontation and a screaming crowd. The situation escalates as officers eventually set off tear gas canisters and withdraw from the scene.
After stumbling away from the confrontation, a man filming approaches Pretti and asks if he is okay. Pretti affirms that he is, before turning to others involved in the melee and asking: "Are we all OK? Are we all safe?"
