Newly released video appears to show Alex Pretti spitting at federal agents and violently damaging a government SUV just days before he was fatally shot by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis — adding important context to an incident that some were quick to politicize.
The footage, released by The News Movement and reportedly recorded Jan. 13, shows a man resembling Pretti — with a beard, glasses and clothing similar to what he was wearing when he was killed — shouting at federal agents, spitting at them and kicking the taillight of a government SUV until it breaks. Nothing says “peaceful protest” quite like assaulting a vehicle and showering officers with saliva.
As the man yells profanities and flashes double middle fingers, agents exit the vehicle, approach him and take him to the ground. Pepper balls and tear gas were sprayed toward a nearby crowd of agitators as the confrontation continued, though the man was ultimately released. After stepping away from agents, what appears to be a gun can be seen in his waistband. Instead of leaving the scene, he remained with other demonstrators who continued shouting obscenities at federal law enforcement.
Pretti’s family later confirmed to The Minnesota Star Tribune that the man seen in the video is Alex Pretti. His family’s attorney, Steve Schleicher, claimed that Pretti was “violently assaulted” by ICE agents a week before his death and argued that nothing from that earlier incident could justify the shooting on Jan. 24. Of course, that argument conveniently ignores what the video actually shows.
Pretti, a 37-year-old Department of Veterans Affairs ICU nurse, was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents while recording federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis. Video from the shooting shows him attempting to assist a woman who had been knocked to the ground before he was sprayed with a chemical irritant, forced to the pavement and struck. The footage then shows an agent removing what authorities described as a suspected firearm — a 9 mm pistol — from his waistband as other agents fired nearly a dozen rounds.
Officials said one Border Patrol agent fired a CBP-issued Glock 19 and another fired a CBP-issued Glock 47. Prior to the shooting, agents were conducting enforcement operations as civilians shouted and blew whistles. Authorities stated the crowd had been instructed to remain on the sidewalk and not interfere with law enforcement activity.
Authorities also said Pretti resisted when agents attempted to take him into custody, leading to a physical struggle. During that struggle, an unidentified Border Patrol agent can be heard repeatedly shouting that the man was armed. In other words, officers were responding to what they believed was an immediate and serious threat — not exactly a mystery.
The shooting marked the second fatal incident in Minneapolis in recent weeks involving federal immigration agents amid rising tensions over enforcement operations and confrontations with anti-ICE demonstrators.
The key takeaway is clear: federal agents were carrying out their lawful duties, and the video shows escalating behavior that put everyone at risk. While the situation remains tragic, the release of this footage brings important clarity to what led up to the confrontation. Transparency matters, law enforcement deserves the truth to be seen, and accountability — not political spin — is what ultimately helps restore order and keep communities safer.
