A woman who says she recorded the moment anti-ICE protester Alex Pretti was fatally shot in Minnesota has given a detailed account of what she witnessed—an account that appears to conflict with initial statements from federal officials circulating after the incident.
Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot and killed by ICE officers on Saturday, January 24, in an encounter that has intensified tensions in Minnesota. The death came less than a month after the fatal shooting of Renee Good, adding to public anger and unrest as immigration enforcement activity in Minneapolis has increased.
In recent weeks, ICE agents have conducted operations across the city, making arrests and detaining people suspected of being in the U.S. unlawfully. Critics have described the crackdown as aggressive, while supporters argue it is necessary for enforcement.
After Saturday’s shooting, Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem described Pretti as a dangerous threat, claiming he aimed to inflict “maximum damage” and “massacre law enforcement.” Former President Donald Trump also posted about the incident on social media, referring to Pretti as a gunman and sharing an image of a firearm authorities said was recovered.
However, video footage posted online has prompted questions about that narrative. Reports circulating after the shooting have claimed Pretti had a legal permit to carry a firearm and that the weapon was removed from his holster by agents before he was shot. In one widely shared video, Pretti appears to be trying to shield two women. A phone is visible in his hand, and no gun can be clearly seen.
Sworn account from the person who filmed the incident
The woman who recorded the encounter said she later described what happened in a sworn affidavit, which she said was submitted as evidence in an ongoing lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union against the Trump Administration.
She said she went to the scene while on her way to work because she felt it was important to document what was happening in her community.
According to her statement, Pretti did not appear to be resisting when officers confronted him.
“It didn’t look like he was trying to resist, just trying to help the woman up. I didn’t see him with a gun. They threw him to the ground,” she said.
She alleged that several agents pinned him down and then opened fire at close range.
“Four or five agents had him on the ground and they just started shooting him. They shot him so many times. I don’t know why they shot him. He was only helping. I was five feet from him and they just shot him.”
She also said pepper spray was used on multiple people during the encounter.
“Then he started pepper spraying all three of them directly in the face and all over,” she said. “The man with the phone put his hands above his head and the agent sprayed him again and pushed him.
“The agents pulled the man on the ground. I didn’t see him touch any of them – he wasn’t even turned toward them.”
The affidavit also describes footage that appears to show a federal agent taking Pretti’s firearm before the shooting, a detail that—if accurate—would suggest he was unarmed at the moment he was killed.
“The man did not approach the agents with a gun,” she said. “He approached them with a camera. He was just trying to help a woman get up and they took him to the ground.”
She added: “I am disgusted and gutted at how they are treating my neighbours and my state.”
Family disputes portrayal of Pretti
Pretti’s family has also publicly rejected the characterization of him as an aggressor. In a statement, they accused the administration of spreading false claims and said footage shows their son holding a phone with his other hand raised, rather than pointing a weapon.
They urged the public to share what they believe is the accurate account of what happened and described Pretti as “a good man.”
