E-Paper
Alex Pretti killing: Eyewitness accounts detail CBP's brutal action; 'shot him many times', ‘bullet wounds in the back’
Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and now eyewitness accounts have detailed the brutality.
Eyewitness accounts of Alex Pretti's killing have detailed the brutal nature in which the Border Patrol agent took down the 37-year-old nurse in Minneapolis. The incident on Saturday took place at a time when Minnesota is on the edge after ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renee Nicole Good.
After today's killing, the Minnesota National Guard was called in to assist local law enforcement, as outrage and protests against federal agents have grown in the past weeks. Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino said that the agent fired in self defense, mirroring the stance of the Donald Trump government that has raised questions about why Pretti was carrying a gun. In Minnesota, it is legal to carry a gun and local authorities said he had a license for the same.
There has also been a row over whether Pretti was disarmed when he was shot. Federal authorities have said that he was shot when agents were trying to disarm him. However, videos of the incident as analyzed by CNN have shown that one agent had taken the gun off Pretti before another opened fire. A slowed-down video shows not only the moment he was fired upon, but also that the agent shot him in the back.
Now, eyewitness accounts have provided deeper insight into the final moments of Pretti's life and what the CBP agents did on the streets of Minneapolis.
Alex Pretti killing: Eyewitness accounts
One person, over 18 years of age, described how Pretti was trying to help people, and even helping with the traffic before the deadly confrontation with the federal agents.
The individual recounted, as per federal court records, “…the man tried to help up the woman the ICE agent had shoved to the ground.The ICE agents just kept spraying. More agents came over and grabbed the manwho was still trying to help the woman get up. All three of the observers looked to have been badly affected by the pepper spray. I could feel the pepper spray in my eyes.”
Also Read | Alex Pretti shooting: Border Patrol agents frantically search for suspect's weapon in chilling video; 'where's the gun?'
“The agents pulled the man on the ground. I didn't see him touch any of them-he wasn't even turned toward them. It didn't look like he was trying to resist, just trying to help the woman up. I didn't see him with a gun. They threw him to the ground. Four or five agents had him on the ground and they just started shooting him,” the person added. “They shot him so many times. I don't know why they shot him. He was only helping. I was five feet from him and they just shot him,” the eyewitness account further mentions.
A 29-year-old pediatrician also shared their account of events. “On January 24, 2026, at approximately 9:00 am CST, I was awoken by the sound of cars honking and whistles blowing. Shortly after I awoke, I heard screaming from outside my window. I ICE agents and civilians yelling at each other. saw several agents and civilians yelling at each other.”
The account continued, “One civilian was standing in front of a parked car on the side of the road. I saw him yelling at the ICE agents, but I did not see him attack the agents or brandish a weapon of any kind.”
“Suddenly, an ICE agent shoved him to the ground. My view of the altercation was partially obstructed, but after a few seconds, I saw at least four ICE agents point guns at the man. I then saw the agents shoot the man at least six or seven times,” the medical professional added.
The person described how he'd rushed out to help the agent and agents had initially not let him through.
“As I approached, I saw that the victim was lying on his side and was surrounded by several ICE agents. I was confused as to why the victim was on his side, because that is not standard practice when a victim has been shot. Checking for a pulse and administering CPR is standard practice. Instead of doing either of those things, the ICE agents appeared to be counting his bullet wounds,” the doctor added.
“I asked the ICE agents if the victim had a pulse, and they said they did not. The victim had at least three bullet wounds in his back. I asked the ICE agents to turn the victim from his side to his back. From that position, I saw an additional gunshot wound on the victim's upper left chest and another possible gunshot wound on his neck,” the person continued.
EMS took over after that point but the two accounts serve to show how the agents treated the situation. Notably, they were identified as ICE agents in the witness accounts, but authorities have confirmed they are Border Patrol agents.
Meanwhile, Pretti's family has released a statement slamming the Trump administration's handling of the matter.
