Trump Administration, MAGA Allies Spread Misinformation on Pretti Killing, Video Footage Contradicts Official Claims
The Chronify
Video evidence and independent analysis show that Alex Pretti did not brandish or use a weapon before he was shot by federal immigration agents, contradicting the narrative pushed by Donald Trump’s administration and some MAGA-aligned commentators.
Federal officials, including leaders from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and allies of MAGA, have repeatedly claimed that Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, approached Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis with a 9 mm handgun and resisted disarmament, justifying the use of lethal force.
However, multiple videos and independent analyses - including by Bellingcat and major news organisations such as The Washington Post - show a different sequence of events. Footage captured by bystanders clearly depicts Pretti holding only a phone, not a weapon, as he records federal agents and intervenes to assist a woman who was pushed to the ground. The available clips show federal agents spray him with pepper spray, wrestle him to the ground, and then fire multiple shots. Video synchronisation analyses indicate that one agent removed a gun from Pretti’s waistband before shots were fired, and at least one agent fired into his motionless body shortly afterward.
The aftermath has featured a sharp divide between official statements and what the footage shows. While DHS spokespeople and administration allies have repeated the armed threat narrative, the visual record does not show Pretti brandishing a weapon or posing an immediate danger before he was shot.
Pretti’s family and legal representatives have condemned the official account as false and misleading, describing claims that he was a threat as “sickening lies.” They emphasise that he was attempting to help others when the confrontation escalated.
The shooting has reignited intense debate over federal immigration enforcement tactics and the spread of misinformation, with critics saying that official narratives have shifted to defend the agents’ actions despite evidence that contradicts key aspects of those claims.
However, multiple videos and independent analyses - including by Bellingcat and major news organisations such as The Washington Post - show a different sequence of events. Footage captured by bystanders clearly depicts Pretti holding only a phone, not a weapon, as he records federal agents and intervenes to assist a woman who was pushed to the ground. The available clips show federal agents spray him with pepper spray, wrestle him to the ground, and then fire multiple shots. Video synchronisation analyses indicate that one agent removed a gun from Pretti’s waistband before shots were fired, and at least one agent fired into his motionless body shortly afterward.
The aftermath has featured a sharp divide between official statements and what the footage shows. While DHS spokespeople and administration allies have repeated the armed threat narrative, the visual record does not show Pretti brandishing a weapon or posing an immediate danger before he was shot.
Pretti’s family and legal representatives have condemned the official account as false and misleading, describing claims that he was a threat as “sickening lies.” They emphasise that he was attempting to help others when the confrontation escalated.
The shooting has reignited intense debate over federal immigration enforcement tactics and the spread of misinformation, with critics saying that official narratives have shifted to defend the agents’ actions despite evidence that contradicts key aspects of those claims.
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