President Donald Trump has dropped his sharp attacks on critics of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, a shift that comes as videos of the incident fuel widespread anger and some Republicans call for a closer look at the events. The 37-year-old nurse died Saturday morning after an encounter with Border Patrol agents during an immigration operation in the Whittier neighborhood, touching off debates over federal tactics and local rights.
Background
Alex Pretti worked as an intensive care nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital. He had no criminal record and held a valid permit to carry a gun. On January 24, 2026, around 9 a.m., federal agents from U.S. Border Patrol were in south Minneapolis carrying out arrests as part of Operation Metro Surge, a push to round up people in the country without legal papers. Protesters and bystanders gathered nearby, blowing whistles, honking horns, and filming the agents with their phones.
Pretti was among those watching. Videos show him standing in the street, phone in his right hand, left hand empty. Agents were trying to detain someone at a restaurant when things turned physical. One agent pushed a legal observer with an orange backpack. Pretti stepped in to help a woman who had fallen after being shoved. That's when an agent sprayed him with pepper spray. Pretti wrapped his arms around the woman. The agent shoved him again, and they fell to the ground together.
What followed happened fast. Agents pinned Pretti to the street. One video shows an agent in a gray jacket reaching into the group empty-handed and coming out with a gun. He turned away as the first shot rang out, then ran across the street while more shots fired. A detailed timeline from multiple verified videos puts the start at 8:58 a.m., with Pretti filming agents three minutes before the shooting. By 9:01, ten shots had been fired in under five seconds. Pretti was hit at least three times in the back, once in the chest, and possibly the neck. He died at the scene.
The Department of Homeland Security says Pretti approached officers with a 9mm handgun, resisted when they tried to take it, and planned to harm them. They recovered the gun, two magazines, and noted he had no ID. But Minnesota officials and witnesses tell a different story. Governor Tim Walz called the federal account nonsense after seeing the videos. Witnesses in sworn statements said Pretti had a camera, not a gun, when he approached. He was directing traffic and helping people, not fighting back. A frame-by-frame review backs this up: no gun in his hands before the shots.
This marks the second such fatal shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis this month. Tensions run high over the immigration sweeps, with protesters blocking agents and courts stepping in. A federal judge issued a temporary order over the weekend to stop the Department of Homeland Security from touching evidence in Pretti's case. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison heads to court Monday to push for an end to the operation.
Key Details
The shooting unfolded in seconds at 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue. Here's what the videos capture, minute by minute:
- 8:58 a.m.: Pretti holds up his phone to record agents detaining someone nearby.
- 9:00 a.m.: Bystanders talk to an agent amid honks and whistles. The agent warns about traffic.
- 9:00:41 a.m.: Agent shouts at civilians and pushes them toward Pretti, who keeps filming.
- 9:00:50 a.m.: Pepper spray hits Pretti as he steps between the agent and a woman.
- 9:00:56 a.m.: Agent pulls Pretti into the street by his hood.
- 9:01 a.m.: Agents pin him down. One emerges with a gun. First shot fires, followed by nine more in four seconds.
- 9:02 a.m.: Agent in gray jacket says, "I got the gun."
Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino said the shooting agent has eight years on the job and training as a range safety officer. Two agents fired the shots. All agents at the scene went on administrative duty and left Minneapolis for safety. The FBI now leads the investigation.
Disputes Over the Gun
Federal officials insist Pretti had the gun and resisted. But videos show his phone in one hand, nothing in the other. Witnesses say he never pulled a weapon. One swore: "The man did not approach the agents with a gun. He approached them with a camera."
"What the videos depict is that this guy did not walk up to anybody from CBP in a threatening manner," said John Cohen, former acting DHS undersecretary for intelligence. "For DHS to construe that he arrived at that location with the intent to shoot those border patrol officers, there's nothing in the video evidence that we've seen thus far that would support that."
A doctor at the scene noted Pretti's back wounds in an affidavit. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti wanted to kill officers. Walz disagrees, pointing to the footage.
Trump and Walz spoke by phone Monday. Their call was productive, sources say. Federal courts hear two cases Monday on the immigration surge.
What This Means
The White House change in tone marks a break from Trump's usual defense of federal law enforcement. Early on, he blasted protesters and backed the agents fully. Now, as Republicans like some senators question the video evidence, the messaging softens. More GOP voices express worry over the shooting, especially with Pretti's clean record and nurse job.
Protests continue in Minneapolis, with demands for agent names and charges. The incident highlights clashes between federal immigration pushes and local resistance. Minnesota leaders want the operations halted, citing safety risks to bystanders. Courts could limit the surges soon.
Nationally, it fuels debates on armed federal presence in cities. Some see it as needed for border security. Others view it as overreach endangering citizens. The FBI probe may take weeks, but videos keep the pressure on. Agents remain on duty elsewhere, watching developments. Trump's pivot suggests concern over political fallout as midterm talks heat up. Families and activists call for justice, while feds stand by self-defense claims. The gap between video facts and official stories grows wider each day.
