MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — A preliminary government review reported by NPR contradicts the Trump administration’s initial account of the shooting death of 37-year-old Alex Pretti during an immigration arrest last week in Minneapolis, raising new questions about the use of force by federal officers and the accuracy of official statements made in the immediate aftermath.
Pretti’s killing by immigration officers intensified tensions surrounding the administration’s stepped-up immigration enforcement operations and has prompted bipartisan calls for an investigation. Pretti was the second U.S. citizen killed by immigration officers in Minneapolis this month.
The preliminary assessment, referred to as a death notification, was shared with congressional sources not authorized to speak publicly and reviewed by NPR. The assessment was based on body-worn camera footage and agency documentation, according to the report.
Customs and Border Protection officers initially claimed Pretti resisted arrest before two officers shot him. However, the assessment does not describe Pretti attacking officers or threatening them with a weapon, contrary to early statements by administration officials.
The internal review more closely aligns with multiple bystander videos and witness testimony that have circulated publicly since the shooting.
According to the assessment, CBP officers were conducting an immigration enforcement operation when they were confronted by two women blowing whistles.
“The [officer] pushed them both away and one of the females ran to a male, later identified as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a U.S. citizen,” the review states. “The [officer] attempted to move the woman and Pretti out of the roadway. The woman and Pretti did not move.”
The review adds that the officer then sprayed both individuals with oleoresin capsicum spray, commonly known as pepper spray.
CBP officers then attempted to take Pretti into custody. According to the assessment, Pretti resisted their efforts and a struggle ensued.
During that struggle, an officer can be heard yelling, “He’s got a gun!” multiple times, the review states.
Approximately five seconds later, one agent discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 handgun, and another officer discharged a CBP-issued Glock 47, firing directly at Pretti. Following the shooting, an agent stated he had taken possession of Pretti’s firearm, according to the assessment.
When asked about the CBP report on Tuesday, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said in a statement that “the extra personnel sent to Minnesota for force protection should be used to create a physical barrier between arrest teams and the disruptors.” He added that officials were examining whether protocol was followed at the scene.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, administration officials offered a more forceful characterization of Pretti’s actions.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem described Pretti’s behavior as “domestic terrorism,” claiming he had “attacked” officers and “brandished” a weapon before he was killed.
Miller also posted on the social media platform X that Pretti was a “would-be assassin,” a claim that has since drawn criticism as additional evidence has emerged.
Multiple bystander videos and witness statements contradict that portrayal.
In several recordings, Pretti is seen holding only a phone before at least six officers tackle him, pin him face down on the ground and shoot him in the back, with audio capturing what sounds like 10 gunshots.
One eyewitness stated in a court document that Pretti was not even facing officers when they grabbed him. “It didn’t look like he was trying to resist, just trying to help [a] woman up,” the witness wrote.
Noem’s comments have drawn bipartisan scrutiny.
In Washington, Democrats are pushing to block funding for the Department of Homeland Security and several other agencies following the shooting and the administration’s response. Several Republicans, including Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and John Curtis of Utah, criticized Noem’s quick attribution of blame to Pretti, and others have called for an independent investigation.
The assessment of Pretti’s death was conducted by Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility, an internal oversight body. The review cautions that information may be updated as additional facts emerge.
Homeland Security Investigations, a branch of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is conducting the criminal investigation into the shooting. The matter is also under review by the Office of Professional Responsibility’s Investigative Operations Directorate, which examines employee misconduct.
The Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General was also notified of Pretti’s death, according to the assessment.
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