ICE Agents Discharged Firearms in Fatal Alex Pretti Shooting, Preliminary DHS Review Reveals
A preliminary Department of Homeland Security review has confirmed that two Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers fired their weapons during the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti. This finding directly contradicts earlier statements issued by the White House, which were used to justify the killing.
Official Report Undermines Initial White House Narrative
The initial report, produced by a Customs and Border Protection internal investigation led by the agency's Office of Professional Responsibility, has been circulated to congressional committees. According to the document, during Saturday's encounter in Minneapolis, an officer repeatedly shouted "He's got a gun" before two officers opened fire approximately five seconds later.
The report specifies: "approximately five seconds later, a BPA [Border Patrol agent] discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19, and a CBPO [Customs and Border Protection officer] also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti." Notably, the review does not indicate whether bullets from both weapons were responsible for Pretti's death.
Contradictions with Official Accounts and Eyewitness Evidence
Significantly, the DHS review makes no mention of Pretti attacking officers or brandishing a firearm—claims that were publicly made by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem in the immediate aftermath of the shooting. This omission aligns with video footage recorded by eyewitnesses and verified by news organisations, which appears to contradict the initial White House narrative.
The footage shows Pretti unarmed during the struggle while surrounded by federal agents. One video captures a federal officer removing a gun from Pretti's waistband moments before the shooting occurred. According to the official report, a Border Patrol agent later confirmed he had taken possession of the ICU nurse's firearm, which was then secured inside his vehicle.
Legal and Investigative Developments Following the Incident
This disclosure comes as a federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to preserve all evidence, following reports that Minnesota state investigators were denied access to the scene where the 37-year-old was killed. The DHS review states that its findings are based on documents and body-worn camera footage from officers present at the incident.
The report clarifies that federal agents were "conducting enforcement actions" in Minneapolis as part of Operation Metro Surge. This operation has deployed approximately 3,000 federal officers and agents to Minnesota—far outnumbering the Minneapolis Police Department's roughly 600 officers—as part of Donald Trump's immigration enforcement initiatives.
Context of Operation Metro Surge and Community Response
Federal officials describe the operation as targeting migrant communities and alleged local corruption and fraud. However, the surge has encountered fierce local opposition and protests, which intensified following another fatal shooting earlier this month. On January 7, a local woman named Renee Good was shot dead by an immigration officer while sitting in her car.
According to the DHS report, "several civilians were in the area yelling and blowing whistles" during the Pretti incident, prompting officers to issue repeated commands for them to stay on pavements and out of the road. The document describes how an officer was "confronted" by two women blowing whistles who did not comply with an order to move.
Sequence of Events Leading to the Fatal Shooting
After pushing them away, one of the women ran toward a man identified as Pretti. The officer attempted to move both individuals out of the road before deploying pepper spray. "CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody. Pretti resisted CBP personnel's efforts, and a struggle ensued," the report states.
During that struggle, an officer repeatedly shouted warnings about a gun before two officers fired their weapons. At 9:02 AM, CBP personnel cut Pretti's clothes and provided first aid, including chest seals, before fire department medics arrived two minutes later. He was pronounced dead at Hennepin County Medical Centre at approximately 9:32 AM.
White House Response and Internal Criticism
Homeland Security adviser Stephen Miller explained that the initial White House statement—which claimed Pretti "wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement"—was based on reports from CBP staff on the ground. He stated that the White House had given "clear guidance to officers that the extra personnel that had been sent to Minnesota for force protection should be used for conducting fugitive operations to create a physical barrier between the arrest teams and the disruptors."
Miller added, "We are evaluating why the CBP team may not have been following that protocol." A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson commented: "The initial statement was based on reports from CBP from a very chaotic scene on the ground. That's precisely why an investigation is underway, and DHS will let the facts lead the investigation." Miller's comments have sparked considerable backlash, including criticism from within the Republican Party.
