The man fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis on Saturday (January 24), was identified as Alex Jeffrey Pretti by the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE). Pretti, 37, worked as an ICU nurse. The shooting occurred during an operation targeting Jose Huerta-Chuma, who federal officials described as an undocumented immigrant with a criminal history including domestic assault.
Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement that Pretti approached Border Patrol agents while armed with a 9mm pistol and “violently resisted” when officers attempted to disarm him.
However, video footage circulating online appears to show a different sequence of events. According to reports analyzing the video, Pretti was filming and went to help a woman who had been thrown to the ground by federal officers. He was then pepper-sprayed, thrown to the ground, and surrounded by officers who removed his firearm, which police said was legally registered. A Border Patrol officer then reportedly shot Pretti multiple times while he was on the ground.
The officer who fired the fatal shots is reportedly an eight-year veteran of the Border Patrol.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara‘s account conflicts with the DHS version, stating that Pretti’s only previous interactions with law enforcement were for traffic tickets. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz criticized DHS for sharing information and photos on social media without a thorough investigation.
“At this time, many of the details remain unclear,” AFGE wrote in a statement. “Video of the incident is circulating on social media, and the Department of Homeland Security has publicly stated that the victim was brandishing a weapon at officers. However, based on the video currently available, that claim is not clearly established.”
The shooting has intensified tensions in Minneapolis, where protests against immigration enforcement operations have been ongoing since January 7, when another individual, Renee Nicole Good, was fatally shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.
Governor Walz has activated the Minnesota National Guard to assist local police with managing protests. Several businesses in the area where Pretti was killed have closed, and the Minnesota Timberwolves postponed their game against the Golden State Warriors.
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