The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by U.S. Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis has sparked a sharp dispute between federal officials and Minnesota leaders. Video analyses from major outlets suggest Pretti was filming with a cellphone and helping a fallen woman; federal authorities say he approached agents with a 9mm and resisted disarmament. The incident has provoked protests, the deployment of the Minnesota National Guard, and calls for transparent investigations.
Clash Over Facts After Minneapolis Border Patrol Shooting: Video, Officials, and Growing Tensions
A fierce dispute has erupted between federal officials and Minnesota leaders after U.S. Border Patrol agents fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti during a tense encounter in Minneapolis. The incident—coming less than a month after a nearby fatal shooting involving ICE—has intensified debates over the scope and tactics of the administration’s immigration operations and provoked large street protests.
Conflicting Accounts
Federal officials have described the encounter as dangerous and say agents fired after Pretti approached officers with a firearm and resisted disarmament. Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino said on Sunday that Pretti "injected" himself into a law enforcement action. Governor Kristi Noem asserted that agents "clearly feared for their lives" and characterized Pretti’s presence as obstructing officers.
By contrast, Minnesota leaders and local law enforcement present a different picture. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has said he saw no evidence that Pretti brandished a weapon or violated Minnesota firearm laws. Sen. Amy Klobuchar and other local officials say widely circulated video shows Pretti holding a cellphone while helping a woman who had fallen—rather than acting aggressively toward agents.
Video Evidence and Media Analyses
Multiple news organizations, including the New York Times and The Washington Post, reviewed and analyzed footage of the encounter. Their reporting indicates the object Pretti appeared to be holding was likely a cellphone he used to film the scene, and that federal agents may have secured Pretti’s handgun just moments before an agent fired. These analyses have become central to the dispute over what actually transpired.
"What you see is someone brandishing a cellphone who is simply there with a cellphone helping someone up," said Sen. Amy Klobuchar on NBC’s Meet the Press. "Your eyes don’t lie."
Political Fallout
The shooting has deepened tensions between federal and state officials. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called the incident "sickening," deployed the National Guard to Minneapolis, and urged the federal government to end the operation. Mayor Jacob Frey criticized the federal presence and questioned its goals, saying the operation has produced chaos rather than calm.
Meanwhile, Justice Department official Todd Blanche described the shooting as a "tragedy" and placed some responsibility on local leadership, calling the event "entirely avoidable" in remarks to the press. Former President Barack Obama and Pretti’s family have also criticized the federal account, with some saying the administration’s explanations appear to be contradicted by video evidence.
What Comes Next
Investigations are underway at multiple levels. Federal authorities say they will review the shooting according to established protocols; local officials and independent media analyses continue to press for transparent release of full footage and comprehensive, impartial inquiries. The episode has already prompted renewed protests and a broader national conversation about the use of federal immigration agents in local communities.
Key questions remain: Did agents follow protocol? Was the use of lethal force justified given the circumstances on the video? And how will federal and state leaders reconcile their sharply different narratives?
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