Minneapolis, United States. A U.S. immigration agent shot and killed intensive care nurse Alex Pretti, 37, during an immigration raid on Saturday, according to a Reuters report. The incident marked the second fatal shooting by federal officers this month as the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown intensifies.
Shooting during raid and conflicting accounts
Pretti died after being shot multiple times. Video footage verified by Reuters showed him holding a mobile phone and not a weapon as he attempted to help protesters who had been pushed to the ground by agents.
The Department of Homeland Security said a Border Patrol agent fired in self-defence after Pretti approached with a handgun and violently resisted attempts to disarm him. Federal officials posted an image of a gun they said Pretti was carrying.
What verified bystander video shows
Verified bystander footage shows Pretti filming on his phone as a federal agent pushes one woman and shoves another to the ground. When Pretti moves between the agent and the women, he raises his left arm to shield himself as the agent pepper sprays him.
Several agents then grab Pretti, who struggles with them, forcing him onto his hands and knees. As agents pin him down, someone shouts what sounds like a warning about a gun. Footage appears to show an agent removing a weapon from Pretti and stepping away.
Moments later, footage shows an officer firing four shots at Pretti’s back in quick succession, and another agent appears to fire additional shots. Agents initially back away from Pretti’s body before some attempt to provide medical assistance.
Protests and calls for a state investigation
The shooting drew hundreds of protesters who confronted armed and masked agents deploying tear gas and flashbang grenades. Demonstrations also erupted in New York, Washington D.C. and San Francisco.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz questioned the federal account after reviewing video from multiple angles. “I’ve seen the video from several angles and it’s sickening,” Walz said. “The federal government cannot be trusted to lead this investigation—the state will handle it.”
Federal agents blocked Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension investigators from accessing the scene on Saturday, according to bureau head Drew Evans.
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