Alex Pretti
Killed · CBP · Minneapolis, Minnesota
What happened
Pretti, 37, was filming masked federal agents on Nicollet Avenue when agents tackled him; at least one shot and killed him. The case became the second Minneapolis fatality in immigration operations within weeks and intensified scrutiny of street-level tactics.
Resistance to arrest
DHS said Pretti approached officers with a handgun and violently resisted disarmament. Bystander video and local officials disputed that he was holding a weapon during the skirmish; he had a carry permit and a holstered gun. This was a street confrontation while he filmed agents—not a planned immigration arrest of Pretti.
Officer / agency involvement
Unnamed Border Patrol agent(s) shot Pretti during a street confrontation.
Official / DHS account
DHS leadership said Pretti approached officers with a 9 mm handgun, violently resisted disarmament, and that officers acted in self-defense. Some officials used stronger language describing an attempted assassination of officers.
Contested points & other evidence
NBC News analysis of multiple eyewitness videos reported that footage did not appear to show Pretti holding a weapon during the skirmish and showed him intervening after agents pushed another person. Local officials noted he had a holstered gun and a carry permit. DHS later said FBI was no longer assisting; state BCA continued investigating.
Investigation status
DHS / HSI lead; CBP Office of Professional Responsibility internal review; DOJ Civil Rights Division probe reported; Minnesota BCA investigating. Body-camera release promised by CBP leadership but not yet treated as closed.
Sources
How to read source labels
News outlets are tagged with a perceived lean (liberal, conservative, or neutral)—a simplified reading of common media-bias charts, not a verdict on accuracy. Official records (court filings, prosecutor releases, agency statements, legislative text) are listed separately and are not scored as “news,” though governments and prosecutors also have interests.
Court filings & official records
- Minnesota AG — amended complaint vs. DHS/DOJ (PDF)Official / court
News coverage
- Star Tribune — Good & Pretti investigationsPerceived liberal
- USA Today — Pretti’s life and deathPerceived liberal
- NBC News — DHS shootings list (Pretti)Perceived liberal
- Fox News — Pretti identified / DHS armed-resistance claimPerceived conservative
- New York Post — ICE director on Minnesota bodycam footagePerceived conservative
- BBC — what we know / video vs. DHSPerceived neutral