UPDATE (January 26, 2026):
Subsequent review of additional bystander video and independent media analysis has raised questions about earlier characterizations of this incident. While federal authorities maintain that Alex Pretti was armed and posed a threat, publicly available footage does not clearly show him drawing or brandishing a firearm prior to being taken to the ground by agents. The only visible removal of a weapon appears to occur during the physical struggle itself. These details remain contested, and no final determination has been issued by investigators. Insurgency News has updated its coverage to distinguish clearly between official claims and what is directly observable on video.
A newly released bystander video captures the chaotic moments leading up to the fatal shooting of a Minneapolis man by federal agents during a targeted immigration enforcement operation on Saturday morning.
The footage, circulating on social media and shared widely by users on X, shows the 37-year-old man — later identified by multiple outlets as Alex Jeffrey Pretti — confronting and struggling with U.S. Border Patrol and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers on a snowy street in south Minneapolis.
According to the DHS statement included in the original video report, agents were conducting a targeted operation against an alleged criminal when Pretti approached them while armed with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun and two magazines. Officers attempted to disarm him, but the confrontation quickly escalated into a physical struggle, at which point at least one agent fired defensive shots that proved fatal.
The incident occurred near 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue and was later confirmed by local law enforcement and witnessed in multiple video clips shared online. Gunshots can be heard on the videos, and agents are seen surrounding Pretti amid the struggle before the shooting.
Independent reporting from multiple news organizations confirms that Pretti was a lawful gun owner and U.S. citizen with no significant criminal history, though the federal DHS characterized the encounter as one in which he violently resisted disarmament.
Warning – GRAPHIC VIDEOS:
The release of the new video has intensified the already heated debate over federal immigration enforcement operations in Minnesota. Minneapolis has been the scene of heightened tensions following a previous fatal shooting connected to federal agents earlier in January, which sparked protests and criticism from local officials.
Following the shooting, protesters gathered at the scene, with some clashes between demonstrators and law enforcement requiring crowd-control measures. Officials, including Minnesota’s Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, publicly condemned the presence and tactics of federal agents, calling for an end to the deployment amid concerns about public safety and respect for civil liberties.
Meanwhile, federal authorities maintain that the use of lethal force was justified in self-defense under the circumstances as they described them. The incident is under investigation, with both state and federal scrutiny ongoing as questions about the justification and handling of the operation continue to mount.
This latest footage adds a new visual dimension to a controversial event that has captured national attention — underscoring deep divisions over immigration policy, law enforcement authority, and the limits of federal intervention in local communities.
Source Clarification:
This article references official statements from the Department of Homeland Security as well as publicly available bystander video and reporting from multiple news outlets. While federal authorities have stated that Alex Pretti was armed and posed an immediate threat, independent video analysis does not clearly show him drawing or brandishing a firearm prior to being restrained. Where accounts differ, Insurgency News has sought to distinguish clearly between official claims and what is directly observable on video. The incident remains under review, and no final legal or investigative determination has been made.
