A prominent gun rights advocate has raised serious questions about the legality of the fatal shooting of Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti after reviewing video footage of the incident. Rob Doar, senior vice president of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, conducted a detailed analysis of one of several videos capturing the shooting last Saturday, subsequently sharing his damning assessment on social media platforms.
Video Analysis Sparks Controversy
Rob Doar's examination of the footage has led him to conclude that the killing appeared unwarranted under established legal standards. The 37-year-old victim, who worked as an intensive care nurse treating critically ill military veterans at the Minneapolis VA hospital, was killed shortly after 9am on January 24 following an altercation involving multiple federal officers.
Video evidence shows Pretti being wrestled to the ground before one federal agent fired multiple shots into his chest, after which the agents quickly dispersed from the scene. The Department of Homeland Security informed the Daily Mail that the suspect was armed with two magazines, with the firearm later recovered by federal authorities.
Disarmament Before Shooting
However, Doar's analysis suggests a different sequence of events. 'This video appears to show an agent remove a firearm from the holster of the 37-year-old man (Pretti), prior to the shooting,' Doar noted in his social media posts. 'I never see the man touch his firearm, and it looks like he's disarmed before being shot.'
Speaking to the Star Tribune, Doar elaborated on his conclusions: 'If Mr. Pretti was disarmed — absent any other evidence of any risk to an officer — I don’t see how deadly force would be justified.' The footage analysed by Doar shows several masked agents wrestling Pretti while he is on his knees, with an officer dressed in a grey coat and cap appearing to pull an item from the protester's waistline that resembles a pistol-shaped object.
Expert Corroboration
David Bier, Director of Immigration Studies at the Cato Institute, echoed Doar's concerns about the shooting's justification. Bier told the Daily Mail that the agent in the grey coat 'doesn’t have any gun, doesn’t pull a weapon from his body, and then he emerges from the group with a gun in his hands.'
'There are so many agents in there,' Bier added. 'It’s not impossible that it was one of the other agents’ guns that got mixed up in all of it. But it certainly seems like it was the victim’s gun, and it was removed by the agent right away.' Bier suggested that if the object were indeed a gun, the agent's subsequent behaviour in stepping away would make sense as he would be 'presumably to dispose of the victim’s weapon.'
Clear-Cut Case According to Analyst
Bier expressed his belief that the killing was unjustified, describing it as 'much less ambiguous' than previous DHS officer-involved shootings. 'There’s no real ambiguity in this case. They’re pumping so many bullets into a person lying on the ground, who’s been disarmed, and was never a threat in the first place,' he stated.
The director criticised the official response, noting: 'But the administration has been clear. They’ve already exonerated (the shooter) before an investigation. They’re refusing the state’s attempt to investigate. The coverup is happening and I certainly expect we’ll see more, if this is what they’re saying is good training and proper procedure.'
Escalating Protests and Tensions
The fatal shooting has triggered significant protests across Minneapolis, with demonstrators blocking streets using dumpsters and restaurant furniture while facing large military-style vehicles. Federal agents responded by firing tear gas and pepper balls at protesters.
Protests have intensified in recent weeks as federal agents from the Department of Homeland Security and Immigration and Customs Enforcement continue their presence in the city. This follows the death of Renee Good, who was shot and killed by an agent on January 7, and the non-fatal shooting of another man last week.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has been working to maintain separation between more than 100 observers and protesters and the federal agents. Despite ICE agents attempting to order local police to leave the scene, O’Hara refused, declaring the gathering an 'unlawful assembly' and urging people to leave the area peacefully.
Official Accounts and Background
According to the Department of Homeland Security, agents were in the area attempting to apprehend 'an illegal alien wanted for violent assault' when they were approached by Pretti. Federal authorities identified their initial target as Jose Huerta‑Chuma, an Ecuadorian national with a criminal history including domestic assault, disorderly conduct and driving without a license.
DHS claims Pretti was armed with a nine‑millimeter semi‑automatic handgun and two magazines at the time of his detention, later releasing a photograph of the weapon they said was recovered during the clash. Officials stated that officers attempted to disarm Pretti but that he 'violently resisted' before a Border Patrol agent fired the fatal shot.
Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino revealed that the officer who shot Pretti had been serving with the Border Patrol for eight years. Pretti was pronounced dead at the scene, with DHS noting he carried no identification at the time.
Victim's Background and Community Response
Minneapolis Police Chief O’Hara confirmed that Pretti had no serious criminal history, with records showing only minor parking violations. O’Hara added that Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a valid permit. State records indicate Pretti was issued a nursing license in 2021, remaining active through March 2026.
The University of Minnesota alumnus most recently listed himself as a 'junior scientist' on LinkedIn and worked as a nurse for the Veterans Health Administration, earning approximately $90,783 in 2023 according to public records.
Friends and colleagues have paid tribute to Pretti, describing him as 'good, kind' and politically engaged. Ruth Anway, a Minneapolis‑based nurse who worked with Pretti, told the Daily Mail: 'He was an ICU nurse. He worked with veterans. He was a really good guy. He definitely did not deserve to get killed.'
The shooting has occurred against a backdrop of rising tensions in Minneapolis, where the federal enforcement presence and ongoing protests continue amidst the city's history of high‑profile police killings, including the death of George Floyd in 2020.
