A preliminary report has surfaced detailing the events surrounding the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. veteran, by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis this past Saturday.
Pretti was reportedly documenting federal immigration enforcement activities when he was fatally shot. Disturbing video footage appears to show him attempting to assist a woman who had been knocked down by agents, before being sprayed with an irritant, forced to the ground, and physically assaulted.
The report confirms two agents fired their weapons – one with a Glock 19, the other with a Glock 47 – discharging nearly a dozen shots in Pretti’s direction. Crucially, footage shows an agent retrieving a 9mm pistol from Pretti’s waistband immediately before the gunfire.
The incident unfolded during “Operation Metro Surge,” a Border Patrol enforcement operation near the intersection of Nicollet Avenue and 26th Street. Agents had been requesting bystanders to remain on the sidewalks, but tensions escalated when a Customs and Border Protection officer confronted two women blowing whistles.
Witness video depicts the officer pushing the women, one of whom then sought help from Pretti. The officer then deployed pepper spray towards both Pretti and the woman, initiating a physical altercation as agents attempted to detain Pretti.
During the struggle, an agent repeatedly shouted, “He’s got a gun!” Moments later, the two agents opened fire. Following the shooting, an agent secured Pretti’s firearm, placing it in his vehicle.
Agents immediately began providing first aid, applying chest seals to Pretti’s wounds before Minneapolis Fire Department EMS personnel arrived and took over medical care. He was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center at 9:14 a.m.
Despite their efforts, Pretti was pronounced dead at the hospital at 9:32 a.m. An autopsy is scheduled to be performed by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office, with Border Patrol awaiting the official findings.
Body-worn camera footage of the shooting exists, though its public release remains uncertain. The investigation, conducted by the Border Patrol’s Office of Professional Responsibility Investigative Operations Directorate, continues to unfold.
