Stella Carlson was on her way to a church event in Minneapolis on a cold Saturday morning in late January 2026 when she heard the sharp, repeated whistles—community signals that federal immigration agents were active in the neighborhood. What she witnessed and recorded on Nicollet Avenue has since become one of the most scrutinized pieces of evidence in the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, directly challenging the initial narrative provided by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Carlson, a Minneapolis resident wearing a distinctive pink coat, stopped her car, stepped out, and began filming as soon as she saw the altercation. In her first televised interview with CNN’s Anderson Cooper, she explained her instinct: after the recent killing of Renee Good by an ICE officer earlier that month, many locals had started carrying whistles and documenting encounters to protect vulnerable community members. “I couldn’t just drive away and leave someone undocumented,” she said. “People need to see what actually happens.”

Her cellphone video, now viewed millions of times, captures Alex Pretti—a 37-year-old ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System—standing on the sidewalk, directing traffic and speaking calmly with bystanders amid growing protests against federal immigration enforcement tactics. As agents approached, Pretti raised his hands and backed away slightly. Multiple angles from Carlson’s footage and overlapping bystander recordings show no moment in which Pretti drew, pointed, or brandished his legally carried concealed firearm.

Instead, agents tackled him to the pavement, pinning his arms behind his back. One officer reached into the struggle and pulled Pretti’s pistol from its holster—after he was already restrained on the ground. Within seconds, two federal officers opened fire. Carlson’s video shows Pretti arching his back, his head rolling backward as shots continued. She described hearing multiple rounds, seeing his body react, and realizing he had been hit. “It happened so fast,” she told Cooper. “He wasn’t fighting. He wasn’t reaching. They had the gun before they shot him.”

The footage stands in stark contrast to statements issued by Secretary Kristi Noem in the hours following the incident. Noem described Pretti as having “attacked” officers, “brandishing” a firearm, and creating an imminent deadly threat that required lethal force in self-defense. She characterized the event as an act of “domestic terrorism” and suggested Pretti violently resisted disarmament. Carlson’s recording shows none of these actions: Pretti never produced the weapon, and it was removed from his person only after he was physically subdued. She emphasized that she did not even realize he was armed until after the shooting, when agents recovered the firearm.

Additional evidence has emerged supporting Carlson’s account. Other bystander videos and partial body-camera footage obtained by independent journalists show the same sequence: Pretti on the ground, restrained, with agents shouting “gun” only after one removed it from his possession. A preliminary internal review by Customs and Border Protection, shared selectively with select lawmakers, avoided claims of Pretti attacking or brandishing, instead noting “resistance during arrest” and officers firing after perceiving a threat. Reports indicate nearly two dozen rounds were fired in total, with Pretti struck multiple times, including in the back.

The discrepancy has sparked intense criticism of the administration’s early messaging. Carlson told Cooper she has not been contacted by federal investigators, including the FBI, despite her footage serving as primary visual evidence. She has retained legal counsel to manage media requests and ensure her safety amid heightened public attention. “I stayed to document because leaving Alex by himself undocumented wasn’t an option,” she said. “We all have to be brave enough to record what we see.”

Pretti’s family has consistently portrayed him as a dedicated caregiver who posed no threat to anyone. His parents described a “good man” who spent his career saving veterans’ lives and supporting community causes. Supporters highlight his clean record, legal concealed-carry permit, and lack of any history of violence. The video evidence has shifted much of the public conversation, with many questioning why the initial official account included claims not supported by visual records.

Carlson’s decision to film and speak publicly has drawn widespread recognition. She has been praised as a citizen journalist whose footage provides transparency in a high-stakes encounter between citizens and federal agents. Her pink coat became an instantly recognizable symbol in viral clips, inspiring solidarity from advocates for police accountability and immigrant rights. Many see her actions as an extension of growing community efforts in Minneapolis to monitor and document federal activity after repeated incidents involving force.

The broader context involves rising tensions over immigration enforcement in the city. Pretti’s death marked the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis within weeks, intensifying protests and calls for reform. Community members have used whistles and live-streaming as tools of protection and accountability, turning passive observation into active witness.

As investigations continue, Carlson’s video remains a pivotal piece of evidence. It directly challenges the narrative initially advanced by Secretary Noem and other officials, raising serious questions about the accuracy of early statements, the justification for lethal force, and the handling of information in the aftermath. For Carlson, the act of recording was straightforward: “If we don’t document, the truth disappears.” Her footage ensures that Alex Pretti’s final moments are not defined solely by official words, but by what multiple cameras captured—demanding answers about transparency, use of force, and the right of citizens to bear witness in moments of crisis.