**BREAKING: Police Say Alex Pretti Was Armed During Minneapolis Confrontation, But Bodycam and Bystander Video Show He Tried to Give the Gun to the Woman While Helping Her Up**
The fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026, continues to spark intense debate and scrutiny. Pretti, an intensive care unit (ICU) nurse working for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, was killed by federal agents—reportedly including a Border Patrol officer—during a chaotic confrontation that erupted amid an immigration enforcement operation in south Minneapolis.
Initial statements from law enforcement officials, including representatives from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), described Pretti as arriving armed with a firearm and posing an immediate threat to agents and bystanders. Authorities claimed he was part of a group resisting federal operations, and that the shooting was in self-defense after he allegedly brandished a weapon. DHS officials emphasized that Pretti carried dozens of rounds of ammunition, framing the incident as a violent escalation in what they called a “riot-like” scene.
However, newly released and analyzed footage—including bystander cell phone videos, witness recordings, and emerging bodycam clips—tells a starkly different story. Multiple angles captured by onlookers show Pretti approaching a woman who had been knocked to the ground during the scuffle. In one widely circulated clip analyzed by CNN and other outlets, Pretti appears to be assisting the woman to her feet while holding what looks like a handgun. Crucially, the video suggests he was in the process of handing or offering the firearm to her—possibly to de-escalate or for her protection—rather than pointing it threateningly at anyone.
The footage does not clearly depict Pretti aiming or firing the weapon. Instead, it shows a federal officer quickly intervening, apparently disarming Pretti by taking the gun from his possession just moments before a barrage of shots rang out. Reports indicate Pretti was shot multiple times—accounts vary from 6 to 10 rounds—mostly in the back or side, raising immediate questions about the justification and proportionality of the force used.
Pretti’s family and supporters, including union representatives and civil rights advocates, have vehemently rejected the official narrative. His parents have publicly accused authorities of spreading “sickening lies” and called for a full independent investigation. Witnesses in court filings and media interviews describe Pretti as trying to protect the woman from aggressive handling by agents, not as an aggressor. One eyewitness account highlighted that Pretti was already restrained or in a non-threatening posture when the fatal shots were fired.
The incident marks the second fatal shooting involving federal officers in Minneapolis in recent weeks, intensifying local tensions over immigration enforcement tactics under the current administration. Protests have erupted outside federal buildings, with demonstrators demanding bodycam footage be released in full and calling for charges against the involved agents.
As investigations continue—now involving state authorities, federal oversight, and potential civil lawsuits—the contrasting accounts highlight deep divisions in how the event is perceived. Police maintain Pretti was armed and dangerous, yet the visual evidence increasingly points to a scenario where he may have been trying to diffuse rather than escalate the situation. The full release of unedited bodycam and additional bystander videos could prove pivotal in determining the truth.
This tragedy has reignited national conversations about use of force, accountability in federal operations, and the risks faced by bystanders and first responders in politically charged confrontations. Pretti, remembered by colleagues as a dedicated caregiver who spent his career saving lives, now becomes a symbol in a polarized debate over justice and authority.
