A Minneapolis immigration shooting left a US citizen dead on Saturday, igniting protests and sharp criticism from local leaders as federal officials defended the actions of immigration agents.
Federal authorities said agents fired in self-defense during an immigration enforcement operation. However, bystander video footage reviewed by journalists appears to contradict key elements of the federal government’s account, intensifying calls for an independent investigation.
The Department of Homeland Security said a Border Patrol agent opened fire after a man approached officers with a handgun and violently resisted efforts to disarm him. The agency described the shooting as justified and released an image of a firearm it said the man possessed at the time.
But multiple videos from the scene show the man, identified as 37-year-old Alex Pretti, holding what appears to be a mobile phone as he attempted to assist other protesters who had been pushed to the ground by federal agents.
As the footage begins, Pretti is seen filming as an agent shoves one woman aside and forces another to the ground. Pretti steps between the agent and the women, raises his left arm defensively, and is pepper-sprayed. Several agents then restrain him and force him onto his hands and knees.
Video then appears to show an agent removing a handgun from Pretti while stepping away. Moments later, an officer standing behind Pretti fires multiple shots into his back. Additional gunfire is heard shortly afterward.
Pretti, an intensive care nurse, was later pronounced dead at the scene. Some agents initially retreated before returning to provide medical aid, while others pushed back onlookers.
