White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed Monday that “three distinct inquiries” are underway into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, urging the public to show a little patience while investigators determine exactly what happened. Yes, patience—an endangered virtue in modern politics.
“This incident remains under investigation,” Leavitt told reporters, explaining that three separate probes are examining the case, though she did not specify which agencies are involved. She emphasized that President Donald Trump wants the facts established before anyone rushes to judgment.
“I have heard the president say he wants to let the facts and the investigation lead itself,” Leavitt said when asked whether Trump agreed with early statements from senior officials who described Pretti as an attacker. In other words, gather evidence first, shout later—a radical idea in Washington.
Her remarks came as the White House moved to distance the president from language used by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller, who referred to Pretti as a “would-be assassin” shortly after the incident. Asked directly whether Trump shared that view, Leavitt said she had not heard him use that description and repeated that the administration is waiting for investigators to complete their work.
Leavitt also declined to say whether Miller would apologize to Pretti’s family, stating that no one in the White House wants Americans “hurt or killed,” and again pointing to the ongoing investigations.
Pretti was shot Saturday during an encounter with federal officers that was captured on bystander video. The footage appears to show an officer shooting Pretti in the back after a confrontation in which Pretti, who was filming officers, tried to assist a woman being pepper-sprayed and was also sprayed himself.
Video also appears to show an officer taking Pretti’s gun and walking away before shots were fired. Leavitt did not address the footage in detail, instead repeating that the case “remains under investigation” and that the White House is waiting for official conclusions.
The administration’s cautious approach contrasts with its earlier rapid defense of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer who fatally shot Renee Good earlier this month. The Pretti case has drawn criticism from Democrats and even some prominent Republicans, who have questioned ICE operations in Minnesota.
Trump said in a weekend interview that his administration is reviewing the case and will issue a determination once the investigations conclude, according to Leavitt. She summed up the president’s position simply: “Let the facts and the investigation lead itself.”
In an era of instant outrage and premature verdicts, the White House is choosing facts over frenzy—and that commitment to due process is a positive step for both justice and national unity.
