Former President Donald Trump has declared that the "stock" of ICU nurse Alex Pretti has "gone way down" following the release of a video depicting an altercation with federal immigration officers in Minneapolis. The footage, which emerged publicly this week, shows the 37-year-old nurse shouting at agents, spitting towards their unmarked vehicle, and forcefully kicking its tail light until it shattered.
January 13 Incident Captured on Video
The confrontation occurred on January 13, just four blocks from where another individual, Renee Good, had been killed by an ICE officer the previous week. In the newly released videos, Pretti can be heard yelling expletives at the federal officers, referring to one agent with derogatory language as they prepared to depart the scene.
After the tail light was dislodged, multiple heavily armed agents swiftly exited their Ford Expedition vehicle. One officer tackled Pretti to the ground while others crowded around and deployed pepper spray towards bystanders. During the struggle, Pretti's winter coat came off and he momentarily broke free before scurrying away from the scene.
Trump's Social Media Commentary
Taking to his Truth Social platform on Friday, Trump offered a stark assessment of Pretti's behaviour. The former president labelled him an "Agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist" while describing the federal officers as "very calm and under control."
"Alex Pretti’s stock has gone way down with the just released video of him screaming and spitting in the face of a very calm and under control ICE Officer," Trump wrote. "It was quite a display of abuse and anger, for all to see, crazed and out of control."
Fatal Shooting Eleven Days Later
The January 13 altercation occurred just eleven days before Pretti was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent during a targeted immigration enforcement operation on January 24. The weekend shooting took place on a Minneapolis sidewalk near where Pretti had been filming immigration officers.
According to bystander footage and official statements, Pretti was legally carrying a handgun with a permit during the January 24 incident. Videos appear to show one officer removing the weapon before two others opened fire while Pretti lay on the ground. He was reportedly holding his mobile phone when shot in the back.
Family and Legal Response
Steve Schleicher, an attorney representing Pretti's family who previously helped convict Derek Chauvin for George Floyd's murder, issued a strong rebuke of Trump's characterisation. "Nothing that happened a full week before could possibly have justified Alex's killing at the hands of ICE on January 24," Schleicher stated.
The Pretti family described themselves as "heartbroken and angry" in a written statement, calling administration comments about their son "sickening lies" and "reprehensible." They maintain that videos show Pretti was shielding a woman from pepper spray while holding his phone, not brandishing a weapon, when he was tackled before the shooting.
Investigations and Administrative Actions
The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed that the newly surfaced footage from January 13 is under formal review. Meanwhile, US Customs and Border Protection announced on Thursday that two agents involved in the January 24 fatal shooting have been placed on administrative leave.
This follows similar action regarding the ICE agent who fatally shot Renee Good on January 7, who was also placed on administrative leave pending investigation. The border patrol commander overseeing immigration operations in Minneapolis, Gregory Bovino, has been reassigned from the city following these controversial incidents.
Political and Public Reactions
The video release has reignited national debate about Pretti's death and broader immigration enforcement practices. Donald Trump Jr. shared one of the videos on social media with sarcastic commentary, while former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton issued statements condemning the shooting.
Obama called the incident a "heartbreaking tragedy" that should serve as a "wake-up call" about core American values, while Clinton described the shooting as "unacceptable" and accused officials of dishonesty. Notably, even the National Rifle Association, typically aligned with Trump, has joined calls for a "full investigation" into the killing.
Video Sources and Witness Accounts
The newly released footage originated from two separate sources: Minneapolis attorney Max Shapiro, who witnessed and filmed the January 13 altercation, and a crew from The News Movement online media outlet. Shapiro recounted that he arrived at the scene after seeing notifications about immigration enforcement activity in the area.
"The observers were pretty distraught and screaming," Shapiro recalled, describing how officers' directives were largely drowned out by crowd noise. "He got slammed to the ground pretty hard," he said of Pretti's treatment by officers. "I'm no immigration policy expert, but there has to be a better way to go about this."
The ongoing investigations and contrasting narratives continue to fuel intense debate about law enforcement conduct, immigration policies, and public accountability in Minneapolis and across the United States.
