What we know so far about the latest killing by federal officers in Minneapolis
By Ray Sanchez, Emily Smith, CNN
(CNN) — Federal immigration officers shot and killed a man in Minneapolis Saturday, drawing crowds of angry protesters to the shooting scene in a city already reeling from two other shootings by federal law enforcement this month.
The shooting occurred on a frigid morning as federal agents, seen in video footage, wrestled a man to the ground before a burst of gunfire. It marks the second death this month linked to the Trump administration’s supercharged immigration crackdown in the Twin Cities, including the high-profile January 7 shooting of US citizen Renee Good. A week after Good was killed, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and wounded a Venezuelan man in the leg in Minneapolis.
The man killed Saturday, Alex Pretti, was described by city officials as a 37-year-old lawful gun owner and US citizen. Conflicting accounts from local, state and federal officials about what led to his death have strengthened calls for the Trump administration to halt its immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.
Here’s what we know and don’t know about the second death at the hands of federal officers in Minneapolis this month.
What led up to the shooting
The shooting took place at around 9 a.m. local time on a part of Nicollet Avenue known as Eat Street, a vibrant, multi-block stretch that is a symbol of the city’s multicultural community.
The block is lined with restaurants, including Peninsula Malaysian Cuisine, Christos Greek Restaurant, the German-themed Black Forest Inn and Lanza Restaurant, which serves East African food.
The Department of Homeland Security said in a post on X that agents were conducting a targeted operation against an undocumented immigrant “wanted for violent assault” when an “individual approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun.”
A person allegedly being chased by federal officers ran into a nearby doughnut shop, according to Nilson Barahona, who was in the shop at the time. People inside locked the door after him.
The officers tried to enter the shop but couldn’t, then called for backup, Barahona recounted. Community members in the shop sought help with the situation, he said.
The shooting
Observers gathered outside the shop, blowing whistles and recording.
According to video and witness accounts, Pretti — wearing a black baseball hat, sunglasses and a brown jacket — is seen holding what appears to be his phone, presumably recording the federal agents as he moves toward them.
One video shows a man, believed to be Pretti, standing and facing at least one federal agent. His right hand appears to be raised, holding a phone, seemingly recording the interaction. It’s unclear whether they are speaking to each other.
An agent pushes another bystander to the ground and Pretti then moves toward the agent. The agent grabs Pretti and sprays him with a chemical irritant, described as pepper spray by another impacted witness.
Pretti appears to try help one of the other bystanders to her feet, according to the witness.
Agents then try to separate Pretti from the bystander and wrestle him to the ground.
At least one officer can be heard shouting “he’s got a gun” as one officer reaches into Pretti’s waistband. An officer appears to walk away holding Pretti’s weapon, and then a shot rings out, followed by at least nine more, according to videos.
It is unclear from the videos reviewed by CNN whether the officer who took the weapon from Pretti told the others once he had taken it away. It is also unclear who fired the first shot.
Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino accused Pretti of trying to “massacre law enforcement,” saying he had a gun and “magazines full of ammunition.”
“This looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement,” Bovino said.
But Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called DHS’ account of what happened “nonsense” and “lies,” pointing to video of the incident. “What I see with my eyes and what you’re going to see with your eyes makes that pretty hard to believe,” he said at a Saturday news conference. “I’ve seen the videos from several angles, and it’s sickening.”
A witness said they did not see Pretti resist or try to reach for his gun during the interaction, according to a new filing in a lawsuit against the Trump administration brought by protesters in December, which outlines information about Saturday’s incident.
The investigation
Homeland Security Department officials later said they are collecting accounts from the scene and scrutinizing videos to put together what unfolded, including when the first shots were fired, according to a US official familiar with the matter.
A Minnesota judge granted a temporary restraining order Saturday, blocking federal agencies — including the Department of Homeland Security — from destroying or altering any evidence related to the shooting. The order includes evidence removed from the scene or taken into exclusive federal custody.
The ruling marks an early legal victory for state officials seeking to preserve evidence and assert oversight of the investigation.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, which are suing the Trump administration, requested the order Saturday.
CNN has reached out to DHS and the US Justice Department for comment on the lawsuit and on allegations by Minnesota authorities that evidence was removed from the scene.
A court hearing is scheduled for Monday at 2 p.m. in St. Paul.
Who was Alex Pretti?
Alex Pretti worked as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, his parents said in a statement.
Pretti worked at the center for about five years, according to a co-worker who wished to remain anonymous.
Pretti put himself through medical school by working at the local VA, then joined the staff after graduating, according to the source. They said Pretti researched ways to prevent veterans from dying from colon cancer.
Pretti graduated from high school in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 2006, according to CNN affiliate Spectrum News and from the University of Minnesota, College of Liberal Arts in 2011.
His family described him as a “kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for,” going on to say that “Alex wanted to make a difference in this world.”
The agent
The Border Patrol agent who shot Pretti was “highly trained” and has served as an agent for eight years, according to Bovino.
“The officer has extensive training as a range safety officer and less lethal officer,” he added.
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CNN’s Julia Vargas Jones, Taylor Galgano, Jackson Burke, Kerry Rubin, Sara Sidner, Thomas Boudreaux, Rob Kuznia, Alaa Elassar, Yahya Abou-Ghazala, Graham Hurley, Sharif Paget, Priscilla Alvarez, Jeff Winter, Jake Tapper, Emma Tucker, Zoe Sottile, Danya Gainor, Josh Campbell and Lauren Mascarenhas contributed to this report.
