🚨 NEW WITNESS BREAKS SILENCE: Chilling Eyewitness Steps Forward – Reveals the UNSETTLING Truth About Alex Pretti’s Final Moments! 😱🔥

A key observer who was RIGHT THERE describes the chaos… Pretti yelling at agents, hands visible with only a phone, trying to help a woman down – then agents swarm, tackle him, and unleash a barrage while he’s pinned…

Read more:

A new eyewitness account has emerged in the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, the 37-year-old ICU nurse killed by U.S. Border Patrol agents on January 24, 2026, near 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue amid protests over federal immigration operations. The testimony, part of sworn affidavits filed in federal court as part of an ACLU lawsuit against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other officials, describes Pretti’s actions in his final moments as non-threatening and focused on assisting others, directly challenging the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) initial narrative.

Pretti was shot multiple times—reports indicate at least 10 rounds over about five seconds—after agents tackled him during the confrontation. DHS officials stated that Pretti approached armed with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, resisted disarmament, and posed a threat, prompting defensive fire. A photo released by DHS showed a firearm they said belonged to Pretti, along with magazines. Border Patrol officials described the encounter as involving intent to harm agents.

However, multiple bystander videos verified by The New York Times, Reuters, BBC Verify, CBS News, CNN, NPR, The Guardian, and others contradict key elements of that account. Footage shows Pretti holding a cellphone in his right hand, using his left hand—often raised—to shield himself or help a woman affected by pepper spray before being surrounded, tackled by several agents, and shot while pinned face-down. No video depicts him brandishing, drawing, or reaching aggressively for a weapon; one angle appears to show an agent retrieving the gun from his waist area during the scuffle.

The latest witness contributions, filed shortly after the incident, include accounts from two individuals: a woman who filmed one of the clearest videos (identified in some reports as a children’s entertainer in a pink coat) and a 29-year-old physician observing from a nearby apartment window. The woman testified she was “five feet” away, saw Pretti directing traffic earlier, then move to assist a protester shoved to the ground. She stated Pretti approached agents filming, not attacking; agents sprayed chemical irritants, tackled him with others, and fired while he was subdued. “I didn’t see him with a gun… They threw him to the ground. Four or five agents had him on the ground and they just started shooting him,” her affidavit read in part. She expressed fear of retaliation, noting agents sought her and she hesitated returning home.

The physician witness reported seeing Pretti yelling at agents but no attack or weapon brandished. The doctor attempted to render aid post-shooting but was initially blocked by agents asking for proof of medical license before allowing approach. Both affidavits were submitted in support of the ACLU’s challenge to the immigration crackdown, seeking to limit or end federal operations in the city.

Additional witnesses, including one in a doughnut shop nearby, described agents becoming aggressive after being denied entry, escalating toward observers like Pretti. A protester standing close said Pretti was “trying to help a woman get up” when tackled. These accounts align with synchronized video analyses by The New York Times Visual Investigations team and BBC Verify, showing Pretti recording agents and aiding others without visible threat prior to the takedown.

DHS has not directly addressed the new affidavits but maintains the shooting was justified self-defense. Secretary Noem described Pretti approaching with a handgun and resisting; former Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino suggested intent for “maximum damage.” A preliminary CBP Office of Professional Responsibility report to Congress noted agents confronted civilians blowing whistles, ordered them to move, then encountered Pretti—no mention of him reaching for a firearm. Body camera footage from multiple angles remains under Homeland Security Investigations review with FBI forensic assistance; no public release has occurred.

Pretti held a valid Minnesota concealed carry permit, had no criminal record beyond minor traffic issues, and his nursing license was active with no disciplinary record. He worked at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System caring for veterans; colleagues like Dr. Dimitri Drekonja praised his competence, humor, and “infectious spirit.” Family described him as a “kindhearted soul” dedicated to service; parents Michael and Susan Pretti condemned federal labels—including White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller calling him a “domestic terrorist”—as “sickening lies.”

The incident, the third fatal shooting by immigration agents in Minneapolis recently (following Renée Nicole Good on January 7), unfolded during “Operation Metro Surge” with thousands of arrests and criticism over tactics. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called the shooting “sickening,” questioned DHS consistency with videos, and pushed for joint investigation. Minneapolis officials expressed frustration over limited access; lawsuits allege evidence blocking, with a judge ordering preservation.

Political fallout includes divided reactions: Vice President JD Vance referenced “engineered chaos” in Minneapolis; some conservatives defend agents amid unrest. Nursing organizations condemned violence against advocates; vigils and protests continue, with a GoFundMe for Pretti’s family exceeding $1 million.

Pretti grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin—active in sports, Boy Scouts, choir—graduated University of Minnesota in biology, society, and environment, worked in research before nursing. He was an outdoors enthusiast and dog owner.

As the federal probe proceeds amid mounting eyewitness and video evidence, the case highlights tensions in immigration enforcement, use of force, and transparency. Conflicting accounts persist: officials cite armed resistance; witnesses and footage suggest escalation against a non-threatening bystander. Full disclosure of bodycam footage, phone contents (in custody), and independent review could clarify events, but until then, the incident fuels national debate over accountability and civil liberties in enforcement actions.