Alex Pretti was fatally injured by gunfire from ICE officers during protests in Minneapolis on Saturday.Image: FR172090 AP
The authorities say they acted out of self-protection. Pretti fiercely defended himself against the ICE officers and was armed. But video footage suggests that this is not true.
January 25, 2026, 1:46 p.mJanuary 25, 2026, 1:56 p.m
There is great anger in Minneapolis. After ICE officers shot another person, there are again different accounts of the events. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem told a media conference that Alex Pretti had a gun. US President Trump later added that she had been invited. The officers tried to disarm Pretti and acted in self-protection.
The 37-year-old’s family immediately contradicted this. Footage of the crime also raises questions. As several media outlets report, Pretti is said to have been disarmed shortly before the fatal shots. Shortly before the first bang, videos show a masked man walking away with an object after leaning over Pretti.
The man in the gray jacket carries something away from the scuffle.Image: Screenshot X
According to CNN, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz also said that he had viewed the recordings and that the authorities’ statements were nonsense and lies. “What I see with my eyes and what you will see with your eyes makes it hard to believe.” After viewing the recordings, the mayor of Minneapolis also interpreted the situation differently than the authorities. According to CNN, an eyewitness also said that Pretti did not resist and did not reach for a weapon.
The footage shows Pretti apparently trying to help a person who had been pushed to the ground by a masked man in a uniform. The other uniformed men drag him away and push him to the ground. Shortly afterwards the shots can be heard.
ICE officers shoot man in Minneapolis
Video: external/Elena Maria Müller
The case should now be clarified. But Minnesota authorities fear evidence could be tampered with. A judge has since issued a temporary injunction to protect this evidence. According to the court document, federal authorities are prohibited from “destroying or altering” evidence related to the shooting involving federal officers. It is also expressly about evidence that had already been removed from the crime scene. (front)