Newly released footage from Minneapolis has startled observers and added a complex layer to the story behind the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by federal law enforcement agents on January 24, 2026. The video — first published by The News Movement and verified by BBC Verify’s facial recognition analysis at approximately 97 percent confidence — appears to show a man matching Pretti’s appearance in an aggressive confrontation with federal immigration agents on January 13, roughly 11 days before his death.

In the clip, the individual wearing a dark hat and brown coat — similar clothing Pretti wore in other footage from the week of the incident — is seen shouting at federal agents, spitting at the rear of a black SUV, and kicking the vehicle’s taillight twice, shattering it. After the damage occurs, at least one agent exits the vehicle and moves toward the man, grabbing him and pushing him to the ground amid shouts and chaos in the crowd. Other uniformed officers then deploy what appear to be tear gas or pepper balls as they retreat.

The narrative surrounding Pretti’s death has been contentious since the January 24 shooting, with federal authorities portraying the encounter as involving an individual allegedly approaching agents with a handgun and resisting disarmament. However, multiple eyewitness videos from that day — authenticated and analyzed by outlets such as NBC News — appear to show Pretti holding a phone and attempting to help others rather than displaying a firearm when he was shot. Those bystander accounts sharply contrast with official descriptions, sparking widespread debate over the sequence of events and law enforcement’s use of force.

The resurfaced January 13 footage provides additional context for Pretti’s interactions with immigration authorities during a period of heightened tension in Minneapolis related to federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operations. According to the video’s narrator, the altercation occurred at around 10:15 a.m. local time when federal agents were blocking a street near East 36th Street and Park Avenue. The crowd of onlookers and protesters could be heard shouting as the SUV attempted to pull away, at which point the individual presumed to be Pretti confronts the vehicle.

In both the This earlier encounter and the fatal shooting situation, bystander video shows Pretti appearing near agents and others filming or shouting. In the Jan. 13 clip, what looks like a handgun tucked into his waistband is visible above his pants, though it is unclear whether it was ever drawn or used during the confrontation. After being tackled and briefly subdued, Pretti appears to walk away from the scene. Federal agents in that incident did not arrest him, and no official records have been released detailing the agency’s account of the Jan. 13 altercation.

Several developments from this prior encounter have caught public attention. First, the act of spitting at federal agents and kicking their vehicle’s taillight is a marked escalation from peaceful protest, and it reflects the tensions that had been building in Minneapolis around immigration enforcement operations earlier in January. CNN’s reporting also indicates that a confrontation with federal officers about a week before Pretti’s death resulted in a broken rib for him, though that event did not lead to an arrest. Critics argue that such clashes may have influenced both Pretti’s mindset and the behavior of law enforcement in subsequent interactions.

The BBC-verified footage and its viral distribution have reignited debates over Pretti’s actions leading up to his fatal shooting and whether these interactions could affect interpretations of what happened on Jan. 24. Some commentators have used the earlier video to argue that Pretti had been involved in a series of confrontations with federal authorities — painting him as combative — while others caution that a single clip does not fully describe causation or intent, especially given the starkly contrasting accounts from eyewitnesses on the day of his death.

Officials from the Department of Homeland Security have acknowledged awareness of the Jan. 13 footage and say it is being reviewed as part of ongoing investigations. The involvement of multiple federal agencies, including Homeland Security Investigations and the FBI, underscores the complexity and scrutiny surrounding Pretti’s death. Legal representatives for his family have condemned the shooting and demanded transparency, arguing that federal narratives have inconsistently described Pretti’s behavior. In other Minneapolis fatalities involving federal agents, video evidence has sometimes contradicted official statements, intensifying calls for accountability and clarity.

Public reaction to the resurfaced video has been intense and divided. Supporters of law enforcement have highlighted the footage to suggest that Pretti’s actions contributed to a pattern of antagonism toward federal agents, implying that previous confrontations might contextualize the later fatal encounter. Meanwhile, critics argue that the Jan. 13 altercation, while not trivial, should not be conflated with the circumstances of the Jan. 24 shooting — especially given disputes over what Pretti was doing at the moment he was shot. They stress that provocations in one instance do not necessarily justify lethal force in another.

As investigations continue and more footage emerges, the narrative around Pretti’s interactions with federal authorities remains complex and emotionally charged. The Jan. 13 video does not, by itself, resolve the many questions surrounding Pretti’s death, but it adds an additional piece to a puzzle marked by contested accounts, legal scrutiny, and passionate public debate. Officials have yet to release a full public explanation tying the earlier encounter and the fatal shooting together, leaving many observers wondering whether all available evidence will be thoroughly examined and publicly disclosed.

In the absence of a definitive determination, the events leading up to Pretti’s death — including the Jan. 13 altercation — are likely to remain central to ongoing discussions about federal enforcement practices, protest dynamics, and accountability in high-stakes interactions between civilians and law enforcement.