Minneapolis Shooting: What Really Happened?

In a recent incident in Minneapolis, a man named Alex Pretti lost his life after being shot by federal officers. The initial reports from the U. S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) left out a crucial detail: Pretti was not holding a gun when he was shot. This is interesting because earlier statements from Trump officials had emphasized the presence of a weapon.

The Incident

• Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot by two federal officers—a Border Patrol agent and a customs officer—after he refused to move from the street.
• The CBP's preliminary review mentioned that a customs officer tried to move Pretti and a woman out of the street, but they did not comply. The officer then used pepper spray on them.

Contradictory Statements

• Top Trump administration officials initially described Pretti as an aggressor, saying he approached Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm handgun.
• However, they did not mention that the gun was holstered.
• Stephen Miller, a White House aide, even called Pretti a "domestic terrorist" and a "would-be assassin", but no evidence was provided to back up these claims.

Video Footage Contradicts Officials

• The video footage from the scene contradicted the officials' statements.
• It showed that Pretti's gun was removed from his waist by an agent just before the shooting.
• The CBP review, based on body-worn camera footage and documentation, stated that a struggle ensued when personnel tried to take Pretti into custody.
• During this struggle, a Border Patrol agent shouted "He's got a gun!" multiple times.
• Five seconds later, both the Border Patrol agent and the customs officer fired at Pretti.

Role of CBP Officers

• It's important to note that CBP customs officers typically work at ports of entry, screening passengers and goods.
• However, some have been assigned to immigration enforcement under the Trump administration.
• The identities of the agents involved and their experience with crowd control in urban environments remain unknown.

National Outcry and Aftermath

• The killing of Pretti sparked a national outcry and led Trump to adopt a more conciliatory tone.
• The CBP review highlighted the discrepancy between the officials' portrayal of the shooting and the video evidence.