A newly surfaced Alex Pretti video is raising fresh questions about what led up to the Minneapolis confrontation that ended with the 37-year-old being fatally shot by federal immigration agents. The footage, recorded January 13, shows Pretti in a tense encounter with federal officers 11 days before the January 24 shooting that has sparked national outrage and an ongoing federal review.
Alex Pretti Video
Video that emerged this week captures Pretti yelling at federal officers during a protest in Minneapolis, then kicking out a vehicle’s taillight before agents move in and a physical scuffle follows. In the recording, a handgun appears visible in his waistband when his coat comes off, but the video does not show him reaching for it or drawing it. Reporting based on the footage also notes uncertainty over whether the agents involved even saw the weapon during the struggle.
The January 13 confrontation is now being reviewed by Homeland Security Investigators. It remains unclear whether any of the same personnel were present during the January 24 incident.
Federal authorities have said Pretti was shot on January 24 during a confrontation tied to immigration enforcement activity in Minneapolis. A preliminary government review shared with lawmakers states Pretti was shot by two federal officers, identified in reporting as a Border Patrol agent and a customs officer.
That same preliminary review outlines an encounter in which a customs officer ordered Pretti and a woman to move out of the street and, when they did not, used pepper spray. The review says officers attempted to take Pretti into custody, a struggle followed, and an officer yelled that Pretti had a gun. Seconds later, two officers fired.
Video reviewed by major outlets has become central to the controversy. Reuters reported that footage showed an agent removing Pretti’s gun from his waist before shots were fired, a detail that has amplified questions about the perception of threat, communication, and control during the struggle.
