- WARNING: GRAPHIC FOOTAGE
A new video has revealed the moments leading up to the death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was shot dead by a border agent on Saturday in Minneapolis.
Footage showed Pretti just before the fatal shooting after 9am near Glam Doll Donuts at 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue.
Pretti could be seen confronting the agents with his phone in hand, angled in their direction.
One agent backed Pretti toward the sidewalk, where the rest of the altercation unfolded.
In another video, seemingly taken moments later, Pretti was seen struggling with federal agents just seconds before he was shot.
As he tried to push the official away, the agent pulled out pepper spray and began unleashing the canister in Pretti’s face.
More agents ran toward him as Pretti and two other civilians struggled with the officers.
Several officers and civilians tumbled to the ground in a pile-up as onlookers shouted and honked nearby.
A Minneapolis man who was gunned down during a struggle with federal agents has been identified as Alex Jeffrey Pretti
New angles showed Minneapolis shooting victim Alex Pretti confronting Ice agents before being pepper-sprayed and shot down
Pretti is a registered nurse, US citizen and a resident of Minnesota who had a gun license according to officials. He is seen in footage confronting agents before the shooting
As more and more agents ran toward the struggle, multiple shots rang out, killing Petti.
At a news conference, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the dead man had no serious criminal history and a record that showed only some parking tickets.
Law enforcement sources said Saturday their records show Pretti had no serious criminal history.
O’Hara said the man was a ‘lawful gun owner’ with a permit.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told the Daily Mail that the victim was armed with two magazines and that the gun has since been recovered by federal authorities.
DHS shared a photo of the firearm which was seen lying on the passenger seat of a car.
DHS has since shared its account of the shooting on X, saying the deadly incident began as a ‘targeted operation against an illegal alien wanted for violent assault.’
‘An individual approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun,’ the department wrote. ‘The officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted.’
Pretti appeared to be filming the interaction prior to being allegedly shot
A different angle showed at least four agents surrounding Pretti on Saturday
Officers and civilians tumbled to the ground in a pile-up
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told the Daily Mail that the suspect was armed with two magazines, and that the gun has since been recovered by federal authorities
‘Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots. Medics on scene immediately delivered medical aid to the subject but was pronounced dead at the scene,’ the statement added.
‘The suspect also had 2 magazines and no ID – this looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.’
Records show that Pretti attended the University of Minnesota. State records show Pretti was issued a nursing license in 2021, and it remains active through March 2026.
In a news conference Border Patrol Cmdr. Gregory Bovino said the agent who shot him had been serving with the Border Patrol for the past eight years.
