US citizen shot, killed by federal agents in Minneapolis

MINNEAPOLIS - A man who was shot by federal agents Saturday morning in Minneapolis has died, federal and local authorities say.

KSTP news reported the incident happened just after 9 a.m. A U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson said agents were conducting immigration enforcement when a man approached agents with a gun. When agents tried to disarm him, he “violently resisted.” One of the agents fired “defensive shots,” and the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

A CNN video analysis appears to show a federal immigration officer removing a gun from Alex Pretti just prior to officers fatally shooting him.

Bystander video shows one agent reaching into the scrum of other officers seeking to restrain Pretti and retrieving a weapon that appears to match the firearm the Department of Homeland Security says Pretti possessed.

A federal officer wearing a gray jacket is seen retrieving a gun from Alex Pretti's waistband and walking away from the scrum.

Officers can be heard shouting “he’s got a gun” when the unidentified agent reaches into Pretti’s waistband as the pile of officers try to subdue him. Just over one second after the officer emerges holding the weapon, a shot rings out, followed by at least 9 more, according to videos

DHS said the man had a 9 mm handgun with two magazines on him.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said his department believes Pretti is a resident and U.S. citizen.

O’Hara said the man had no record of violent criminal offenses and was a “lawful” gun owner with a permit to carry.

The chief confirmed he ordered MPD officers to remain on scene to preserve evidence.

Video widely circulated on social media does not capture what led up to the encounter.

A witness at the scene told KSTP agents tried to make their way inside a restaurant but were refused. That’s when agents “got aggressive with” a “peaceful observer” who was recording.
“Then when there were six, eight of them on top of one person, they decided to shoot them in cold blood,” the witness said.

Tear gas and pepper balls were deployed at the scene, as some observers were seen throwing objects towards authorities at the intersection. Around 11:25 a.m., law enforcement announced over a loudspeaker that they had declared an unlawful assembly and ordered protesters to disperse.

Pretti was an ICU nurse who served veterans.