Johnny Joey Jones, a military analyst and co-host on Fox News’ The Five, argued that the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis could have been avoided if Pretti had acted differently during the federal operation.
Speaking during a segment titled “This Is the End of the Story,” Jones pointed to firearm-permit expectations and what he described as basic precautions for armed civilians around law enforcement activity. “One restriction is you have to have your I.D. and a permit on you,” Jones said, adding that “current reports” indicated Pretti did not have either. Jones claimed that, if true, it would mean Pretti “was not carrying legally.”
Jones emphasized that carrying a firearm comes with heightened responsibility—especially near active police operations—and said civilians should not insert themselves into volatile situations. “There is only one person in this world that could absolutely have prevented Pretti from getting shot and that’s Pretti,” he said.
At the same time, Jones said he did not believe the shooting should have happened. “Do I think he should have been shot? No,” he said, arguing that multiple decisions and moments led up to the encounter that could have unfolded differently.
He also suggested that accountability could still land on law enforcement, depending on what investigators conclude. “There might even be a federal agent that goes to jail because some jury or a federal investigation decides he acted prematurely or shot him and shouldn’t have,” Jones said.
Pretti, 37, a Minneapolis resident, was shot and killed during a federal law enforcement operation. Video and reporting have shown him observing and recording as agents moved in, but key details surrounding the shooting remain sharply disputed.
