Alex Pretti did not brandish gun, witnesses say in sworn testimony

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: The Guardian

Sat 24 Jan 2026 23.04 EST
Last modified on Sun 25 Jan 2026 07.32 EST


Two witnesses to the killing of Alex Pretti have said in sworn testimony that the 37-year-old intensive care nurse was not brandishing a weapon when he approached federal agents in Minneapolis on Saturday, contradicting a claim made by Trump administration officials as they sought to cast the shooting of a prone man as an act of self-defense.

Their accounts came in sworn affidavits that were filed in federal court in Minnesota late Saturday, just hours after Pretti’s killing, as part of a lawsuit brought by the ACLU on behalf of Minneapolis protesters against Kristi Noem and other homeland security officials directing the immigration crackdown in the city.

One witness is a woman who filmed the clearest video of the fatal shooting; the other is a physician who lives nearby and said they were initially prevented by federal officers from rendering medical aid to the gunshot victim.

The names of both witnesses were redacted in the publicly available filings.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jan/24/alex-pretti-killing-witness-testimony

[Prairie Gates]

1. We're all witnesses...there are literally 6 different angles of available recordings

[patphil]

2. I've seen the videos. No gun!

He had been disarmed by an ICE agent, and was face down on the ground when he was shot repeatedly in the back.
I counted 10 shots.
This was murder, plain and simple.

[Frasier Balzov]

3. He was executed for what he was thinking.

The only reason to be carrying while out in support of protesters is because of who he thought he might need to protect himself against.

He was executed purely because he was thinking this.

Unfortunately, discovery of his gun gave the storm troopers all the excuse they needed to permanently remove him from the struggle.

[Jack Valentino]

10. Those agents shot multiple bullets into him when he was already on the ground,

AND disarmed! Not much more needs to be said here---- this was MURDER!


(but when MTG, the NRA and other gun rights and law enforcement organizations
call out your actions in this case--- SOMEBODY NEEDS to be "LOCKED UP"! )

[IronLionZion]

4. Our own eyes are lying to us

the truth is, recording ICE with a cell phone camera is a capital offense. Helping a woman who ICE pushed to the ground is a capital offense. ICE will take away a person's gun, have a bunch of goons punch and kick him while he's on the ground, and then shoot him dead in that order.

No consequences. Cruelty is the point. They'll make up easily disproven lies to defend the indefensible.

[IcyPeas]

12. And they took his camera. Where is it?

[herding cats]

5. His gun never left its holster.

Where it was removed, as shown via multiple videos, by one of his assailants.

Look, I get the need for these brave souls testimony. Truly do, and I deeply respect them for giving their accounts. What angers me is how we're all being fed blatant lies and propaganda by Trump's minions who are actively engaging in an illegal coverup as I type this.

[kacekwl]

6. Why is there even a question

It's on video c!ear as day.

[Jack Valentino]

11. .... only because lying Republicans LIE some more....!

[ChicagoTeamster]

7. Of course the administration is lying like they always do about everything. .... everything.

[Evolve Dammit]

8. Velshi has the footage. He was unarmed and executed. And attempted to come to the aid of a woman violently pushed down.

[Harker]

9. He brandished his phone.