First recording – 15 to 40 seconds: Filmed from a moving vehicle, the clip shows Pretti holding what appears to be a phone while backing away from two agents. At the 15-second mark, he moves further from the officers. By 38 seconds, at least six agents are restraining him on the ground; an agent walks away holding a handgun that seems to have been removed from Pretti. A gunshot sounds at 40 seconds, followed by several more in quick succession. The footage does not reveal who discharged the weapon.
Second recording – 0 to 60 seconds: Shot from the sidewalk, the video begins with an agent shoving a woman in a brown jacket. Moments later he pushes another woman wearing a cream coat, who falls into a snowbank. Pretti steps between the agent and the woman on the ground. At 14 seconds, an agent sprays Pretti in the face with a chemical irritant. Additional officers converge, tackle Pretti and attempt to pin him. One agent appears to punch him while he is down. By 22 seconds, Pretti is on his back, surrounded by at least six agents. The clip ends before shots are fired.
Third recording – 25 to 64 seconds: Captured from close range, the video shows Pretti waving a vehicle past before aiding a woman in a dark green jacket. At 40 seconds, a federal agent sprays him again. Two agents pull him onto his back as others form a circle. At the one-minute mark, an agent steps back, draws his firearm and points it at Pretti. A single shot rings out at 1:01, followed by a burst of additional gunfire. Pretti, still on the ground, slumps motionless while bystanders scream.
Discrepancies with official account
DHS statements emphasize that Pretti “approached” agents with a weapon and reacted violently when officers tried to disarm him. In contrast, the videos indicate agents initiated physical contact, first by shoving two women and then by deploying chemical spray on Pretti before any visible threat from him. The recordings also show a firearm being removed from Pretti while he is pinned, moments before shots are heard, suggesting the weapon was not in his hands when gunfire began.
Pretti’s family confirms he was a legal gun owner with a valid permit. That detail aligns with footage of an agent carrying a handgun away from the scene. However, no video segment corroborates the assertion that Pretti brandished the weapon at officers.
Victim background and protest context
Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse, had joined a demonstration near downtown Minneapolis when agents arrived to execute an undisclosed enforcement action. Protesters can be heard honking horns and blowing whistles in all three videos, creating a chaotic environment on the snow-covered street. Witnesses interviewed by local media said tensions rose as agents ordered people to disperse.
Imagem: Internet
According to legal filings from Pretti’s relatives, he was attempting to shield fellow demonstrators from aggressive tactics when he was confronted. The family has retained counsel and plans to seek an independent investigation.
Official response and pending inquiries
DHS has placed the agent who fired the fatal shots on administrative leave pending an internal review. The agency stated that a joint task force comprising Border Patrol, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the DHS Office of Inspector General will examine the use of force. Minneapolis police are assisting but have deferred primary jurisdiction to federal authorities.
The Hennepin County medical examiner confirmed that Pretti died at the scene from multiple gunshot wounds. Toxicology results are pending. Separately, the county attorney’s office said it will determine whether criminal charges are warranted once investigative files are complete.
Civil-rights organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, called for the release of body-camera footage and detailed incident reports. In a statement, the group argued that transparency is essential “when eyewitness videos raise serious questions about the government’s narrative.” A similar stance was taken by Amnesty International, which urged adherence to international standards on the use of force (see background).
Next steps
Under DHS protocol, the agency’s Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties will conduct its own assessment, and findings will be forwarded to the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. Congress may also weigh in; the House Committee on Homeland Security has requested preliminary documentation by the end of the month.
Until the official reviews are concluded, the three bystander videos provide the most complete public record of the confrontation. Their content diverges sharply from early government statements, intensifying scrutiny of the agents’ actions and the accuracy of the DHS account.
Crédito da imagem: Reuters
