Seconds before the fatal shots were fired, half a dozen masked ICE agents had already subdued the victim.Image: Screenshot X
Over the weekend, officers from the US Department of Homeland Security shot and killed another person in Minneapolis. Videos from eyewitnesses clearly refute Security Minister Kristi Noem’s official account.
January 26, 2026, 5:32 p.mJanuary 26, 2026, 5:32 p.m
Two dead US citizens since the beginning of the year – shot by masked federal agents on the street. This is the outcome of the current large-scale ICE operation in Minnesota. Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old veterans nurse, was wrestled down by several federal officers and then shot in the city of Minneapolis on Saturday.
Here is the moment in the video:
Video: external/Elena Maria Müller
This time the agents did not belong to the notorious US Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency ICE, which has made many headlines recently, but to the “Border Patrol”. The two agencies often conduct their operations together.
An official account of the incident promptly followed. This is how the US Department of Homeland Security, which includes both the Border Patrol and ICE, described what happened:
At 9:05 AM CT, as DHS law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted operation in Minneapolis against an illegal alien wanted for violent assault, an individual approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, seen here.
The officers attempted to… pic.twitter.com/5Y50mYONGH
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) January 24, 2026
As it did on January 7, when mother of three Renee Nicole Good was shot three times in the face at close range in her car, the agency stood behind the agents involved and presented the public with a fait accompli – without waiting for the results of an investigation.
Authorities describe victims as terrorists
The narrative: Alex Pretti hindered the federal agents in their work and approached them armed. When they tried to disarm him, he resisted violently, whereupon an agent shot him out of fear for his life and the lives of his colleagues.
Video: watson/Lucas Zollinger
The authorities now want to frame Pretti as a terrorist who planned to cause “maximum damage” and “kill law enforcement officers.” They come to this conclusion because two full magazines and no ID were found on him. Kristi Noem, Secretary of Internal Security and therefore the head of “Homeland Security”, also chose this exact representation of the events at a press conference.
Pretti was a registered gun owner and was allowed to carry his gun concealed under state rules.
This is what the videos of the incident show
There are several cell phone videos that recorded the moment of Pretti’s killing from different perspectives. They make it clear that, firstly, the man did not offer any resistance and, secondly, he was already disarmed before the fatal shots were fired.
Several media outlets, including the investigative portal “Bellingcat,” analyzed the videos frame by frame to come to this conclusion. Attention: We are now showing screenshots of these videos and thus the last moments of Alex Pretti’s life.
Image: reuters
Image: reuters
At the beginning of the videos you can see how Pretti (in the middle of the picture) apparently wants to rush to the aid of a woman in a brown jacket (left) who is being attacked with pepper spray by the “Border Patrol” agents. As can be seen from different perspectives, he approaches the officer with his hands raised – not “aggressively” as officially described.
As a result, Pretti is wrestled to the ground by half a dozen federal agents and even receives pepper spray in the face at close range. He kneels on the ground and his palms are also pressed against the ground.
Image: reuters
At this point a federal agent in a gray jacket enters the scene. He enters the fight unarmed and bends over Pretti, who is being held down.
Image: Instagram / bellingcat
In the videos you can hear someone shouting “Gun!” – i.e. “weapon” – screams. Then the agent in the gray jacket walks away. He now holds a pistol in his hand – as pictures show, exactly the one that Homeland Security later published a photo of.
Image: Instagram / Bellingcat
Image: reuters
Image: Instagram / Bellingcat
It wasn’t until the man was a few steps away that several shots were fired. Pretti reared up for a moment and then collapsed. He died on site. Anyone who wants to see the entire analysis in moving images will find it here the video from “Bellingcat”.
Conclusion: The statement that Pretti behaved aggressively when trying to disarm him and therefore had to be shot in self-defense does not stand up to the facts.
Government representation caught
Despite the clear evidence and several videos that clearly recorded what happened, the authorities managed to sow skepticism among the population. Pictures are currently being published on Platform X that are supposed to show that Pretti actually pulled out his weapon.
If you look at the whole picture, it quickly becomes clear that it is fake.
Image: X / @CandidategenX
Nevertheless, posts like this generate a lot of attention. This alone was viewed 1.4 million times, was liked 6,500 times, shared 1,800 times and generated 2,800 comments.
Videos about ICE:
ICE agent shoots woman in Minneapolis – a chronology and what the authorities say about it
Video: Watson/Lucas Zollinger
Comedian Seth Meyers shows why ICE has little support in the USA
Video: youtube/late night with seth meyers
Bruce Springsteen stirs up sentiment against Donald Trump and ICE at concert
Video: Watson/Lucas Zollinger