Ahmed Kamel – Egypt Daily News
Bystander videos of a fatal shooting in Minneapolis have raised serious questions about the Trump administration’s account of events, after footage appeared to contradict official claims that a Border Patrol agent acted defensively when killing a protester during a federal immigration operation.
The shooting occurred around 9 a.m. Saturday during a protest against immigration enforcement activity in the city. The victim, 37-year-old Alex Pretti, was shot and killed by a US Border Patrol agent following a brief physical confrontation. The Department of Homeland Security said Pretti approached officers with a firearm and was shot while violently resisting attempts to disarm him.
However, multiple videos reviewed by the Associated Press depict a markedly different sequence of events. In the footage, Pretti is initially seen holding only a mobile phone as he engages verbally with officers wearing tactical gear. During the confrontation, federal agents are shown pushing and shoving protesters as they attempt to clear the street. Pepper spray is deployed multiple times as tensions escalate.
The videos show Pretti stepping in to shield another protester who had been shoved by an officer. As Pretti raises his hands and turns away from the spray, officers grab him and force him to the ground. At least six federal agents appear to surround him, striking him and attempting to restrain his arms as he struggles beneath them.
Moments later, an officer standing above the scuffle appears to pull a handgun from Pretti’s waist area and begins backing away. Someone in the crowd can be heard shouting “gun, gun.” As the officer retreats, a Border Patrol agent fires a single shot. After a brief pause, the same agent fires several additional rounds into Pretti’s back as he lies on the ground.
Authorities later said Pretti was carrying a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun and was licensed to carry a concealed weapon. It remains unclear from the videos whether Pretti ever brandished the firearm or attempted to use it.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti attacked officers, while Customs and Border Protection Commander Gregory Bovino claimed he intended to cause “maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.” Stephen Miller, President Donald Trump’s deputy chief of staff, described Pretti on social media as a “would-be assassin.”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz rejected that characterization, saying the footage showed something far more troubling. “I’ve seen the videos, from several angles, and it’s sickening,” Walz said. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who also reviewed the footage, said it appeared to show “more than six masked agents pummeling one of our constituents, shooting him to death.”
Frey has been sharply critical of the federal presence in Minneapolis and neighboring St. Paul, calling it an “invasion” linked to the administration’s expanded immigration crackdown, known as Operation Metro Surge. The operation has drawn repeated protests as federal agents pursue individuals suspected of immigration violations, often without coordination with local authorities.
The shooting of Pretti was the second fatal incident involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis this month. On January 7, another individual, Renee Good, was killed during a separate operation that was also captured on video and sparked a political firestorm. That incident occurred during the pursuit of a man wanted for domestic assault and allegedly in the country illegally, according to federal officials.
In Saturday’s incident, protesters attempted to disrupt the operation by blowing whistles, honking car horns, and shouting at officers. Video shows officers attempting to push demonstrators back while making at least one arrest.
The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement that officers fired “defensive shots” after Pretti “violently resisted” efforts to disarm him. The agency did not clarify whether Pretti drew the weapon or kept it concealed throughout the encounter.
President Trump weighed in on the incident via social media, attacking Walz and Frey and questioning why local police were not present. He shared images of the firearm authorities said was recovered from Pretti and criticized local officials for what he described as a failure to protect federal officers.
As calls mount for an independent investigation, civil rights groups and local leaders argue that the videos raise profound concerns about the use of force by federal immigration agents operating in civilian spaces. The incident has intensified scrutiny of Operation Metro Surge and reignited a broader national debate over accountability, transparency, and the expanding role of federal law enforcement in domestic policing.
