A late-night immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis has exploded into a national firestorm, as sworn witness affidavits filed in federal court directly contradict the federal government’s claim that a 37-year-old man fatally shot by border agents was armed.
At the center of the controversy is Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis resident who was killed during a chaotic encounter with federal immigration officers over the weekend. While the Department of Homeland Security maintains that Pretti possessed a firearm and posed a threat, multiple eyewitnesses now say they never saw a gun — and instead watched in horror as agents pinned him to the ground and opened fire.
The affidavits, filed as part of a lawsuit against DHS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), have ignited outrage, protests, and renewed scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement tactics in American cities.
“I Didn’t See Him Reach for a Gun”
One of the most disturbing accounts comes from an unlikely witness: a children’s entertainer who lives in the neighborhood where the shooting occurred.
According to their sworn statement, the witness heard whistles blowing outside, a signal commonly used in the area to warn residents that immigration agents are nearby. Alarmed, they drove toward the intersection where the noise was coming from and began recording the scene.
What they encountered, they say, was a tense standoff between federal agents and civilians — not a man brandishing a weapon.
“I didn’t see him reach for or hold a gun,” the affidavit states.
The witness described how federal agents ordered observers to move back, threatening the use of pepper spray. While the entertainer complied and stepped onto the sidewalk, another man remained in the street, filming and directing traffic.
That man, the affidavit claims, would soon become the victim.
Chaos, Pepper Spray — Then Gunfire
According to the statement, the situation escalated rapidly when a woman was shoved to the ground by agents. The man filming tried to help her up.
That act of assistance, witnesses say, was met with violence.
“The agents pulled the man to the ground. I didn’t see him touch any of them,” the affidavit reads. “He wasn’t even turned toward them.”
Moments later, four or five agents piled on top of him.
Then came the gunshots.
“They just started shooting him,” the witness wrote. “They shot him so many times.”
The image painted by the affidavit is stark and unsettling: a man prone on the ground, surrounded by armed officers, being fired upon at close range — without any visible weapon.
Another Witness: “I Did Not See a Weapon of Any Kind”
A second affidavit, submitted by a 29-year-old neighborhood resident, echoes those claims.
The resident said they were awakened by honking cars and shouting outside their home. Looking out, they saw ICE agents arguing with civilians in the street.
“I saw him yelling at the ICE agents,” the witness wrote. “But I did not see him attack the agents or brandish a weapon of any kind.”
According to this account, an agent shoved the man to the ground. Though the witness’s view was partially obstructed, what followed was unmistakable.
“I saw at least four ICE agents point guns at the man,” the affidavit states. “I then saw the agents shoot the man at least six or seven times.”
Federal Narrative Under Fire
Federal authorities have acknowledged that Pretti had a firearm on him, but have not publicly stated that he ever pointed it at agents.
Instead, officials characterized him as someone who intended to harm law enforcement during an immigration enforcement operation — a claim now being aggressively challenged in court.
Legal analysts say the distinction is critical.
“Possession is not the same as imminent threat,” one civil rights attorney noted. “If witnesses are credible, this could fundamentally undermine the government’s justification for lethal force.”
The situation escalated further when a federal judge ordered the Trump administration blocked from altering or destroying evidence related to the shooting — an extraordinary step that signals serious judicial concern.
Videos, Affidavits, and a Community on Edge
Adding fuel to the controversy, multiple witness videos have surfaced online, showing portions of the confrontation and aftermath. While none conclusively show whether Pretti had a gun, they have intensified public skepticism of the official account.
A third affidavit submitted in the case speaks less about the shooting itself — and more about fear.
“I will continue to show up for my community,” the witness wrote, “even though I’m terrified that I or someone I love will be arrested, injured, or killed.”
That fear now hangs heavy over Minneapolis, where immigration enforcement operations have become increasingly visible — and increasingly volatile.
Who Was Alex Pretti?
Alex Pretti was 37 years old. Friends and neighbors describe him as outspoken, community-minded, and unafraid to challenge authority.
He is now dead — and his final moments are the subject of an intensifying legal battle that could reshape how immigration enforcement operates in American cities.
DHS has confirmed it is leading the investigation into the shooting. Critics argue that internal oversight is not enough.
A Case That Could Change Everything
The Pretti shooting arrives at a politically explosive moment, as analysts warn that invoking extraordinary measures like the Insurrection Act in cities such as Minneapolis would represent a “huge shift” in federal power.
For now, the affidavits stand as sworn testimony — chilling, detailed, and deeply at odds with the government’s narrative.
If the witnesses are telling the truth, the question haunting Minneapolis is simple — and devastating:
Why was Alex Pretti shot so many times?
