Two witnesses to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, say he was not holding a weapon when federal agents shot and killed him in Minneapolis on Saturday — sharply contradicting statements from Trump administration officials who described the killing as an act of self-defense against a “gunman.”
The witnesses’ accounts were submitted in sworn affidavits filed late Saturday in federal court in Minnesota as part of a lawsuit brought by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU). The suit was filed on behalf of Minneapolis protesters challenging the actions of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other officials overseeing immigration enforcement operations in the city.
One of the witnesses filmed what appears to be the clearest video of the shooting. The other is a physician who lives nearby and says federal officers initially prevented them from rendering medical aid to Pretti after he was shot.
The identities of both witnesses were redacted in the publicly available court filings.
In her affidavit, the woman who recorded the video identified herself as a children’s entertainer who specializes in face painting. She said she was on her way to work when she stopped to observe federal immigration enforcement activity, explaining that she felt it was important to document what was happening in her neighborhood.
She testified that Pretti approached federal agents after they shoved another woman to the ground. According to her account, Pretti appeared to be trying to help the woman when agents tackled him.
“I didn’t see him touch any of them — he wasn’t even turned toward them,” she wrote. “It didn’t look like he was trying to resist, just trying to help the woman up.”
The witness said she saw a federal agent spray a chemical agent into the faces of both Pretti and the woman he was attempting to assist. She stated repeatedly that she never saw Pretti holding a gun.
“They threw him to the ground. Four or five agents had him on the ground and they just started shooting him,” she said. “They shot him so many times. I don’t know why they shot him. He was only helping.”
The woman said she was standing roughly five feet away when the shooting occurred.
In her affidavit, she directly disputed official statements from the Department of Homeland Security and other federal officials.
“I have read the statement from DHS about what happened and it is wrong,” she wrote. “The man did not approach the agents with a gun. He approached them with a camera.”
She also expressed fear following the shooting, saying she did not feel safe returning home after hearing agents might be looking for her.
“I don’t know what the agents will do when they find me,” she said. “I do know that they’re not telling the truth about what happened.”
A second witness, a 29-year-old physician, said they observed the incident from their apartment window. Before the shooting, the physician said Pretti was yelling at agents but did not appear violent.
“I did not see him attack the agents or brandish a weapon of any kind,” the physician testified.
After the shooting, the doctor attempted to reach Pretti to provide emergency medical care but said federal agents initially blocked access.
“At first the ICE agents wouldn’t let me through,” the physician said. “None of the agents near the victim were performing CPR, and I could tell he was in critical condition.”
When the doctor was finally allowed through, they said the agents appeared to be counting bullet wounds rather than checking for signs of life.
The physician reported seeing at least three gunshot wounds to Pretti’s back, one to his upper left chest, and a possible wound to his neck.
“I checked for a pulse, but I did not feel one,” the doctor said.
The sworn testimony and video evidence reviewed by The Guardian directly contradict statements made by senior Trump administration officials, including former President Donald Trump, who referred to Pretti as a “gunman” who allegedly approached officers “brandishing” a firearm and threatening violence.
Homeland security officials and a Border Patrol commander also claimed the shooting was justified, framing it as necessary to prevent a potential attack.
The investigation into Pretti’s killing remains ongoing.
