What Happened: Overview of the Fatal Encounter
On January 24, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Border Patrol agents — deployed as part of a broader federal immigration enforcement operation — fatally shot Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37‑year‑old intensive care nurse and U.S. citizen. The exchange took place on a public street during what multiple reports describe as a tense interaction between federal agents and a group of civilians, including Pretti.
Pretti was known locally as a dedicated ICU nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs hospital, respected by colleagues for his dedication to veterans and community care. He had no known violent criminal history and was described by friends as peaceful, calm, and active in community protest efforts.
🧹 What Led to the Confrontation
According to verified footage and investigative reporting:
Federal agents were attempting to detain an individual near a doughnut shop, prompting a group of protesters and bystanders to observe and engage.
Pretti was present with a cellphone in hand, recording or directing traffic during the unfolding interactions.
Video footage reviewed by multiple outlets did not show Pretti brandishing a firearm before agents tackled him. In fact, he appears to hold only his cellphone during much of the encounter.
A border patrol official repeatedly is heard shouting, “He’s got a gun!” during the struggle — a moment that preceded the shots fired by two federal agents.
🔫 2. The Gun: What Experts Highlighted
🧠 Expert Theory on the Firearm
Some analysts and commentators have pointed to a specific detail about Pretti’s handgun — what gun experts describe as a model with a history of accidental discharges — as a possible explanation for why an agent opened fire. Under this hypothesis:
A federal agent, after grabbing or disarming Pretti’s handgun, might have unintentionally caused it to fire (“uncommanded discharge”). Hearing a shot — even if negligent — another agent could have reacted by firing at Pretti, incorrectly concluding an imminent threat.
This interpretation rests on claim that Pretti’s firearm was a variant of the Sig Sauer P320, a widely carried pistol that has been the subject of numerous claims — including allegations of unintended discharges when handled.
Important caveats:
This notion remains speculative and not confirmed by official investigators. There has been no authoritative determination that Pretti’s gun discharged accidentally or that such a discharge was what triggered the shooting.
The Department of Justice’s civil‑rights investigation — ongoing at this writing — will examine the cause, sequence, and handling of the firearm.
Verified videos have become a central piece of evidence in analyzing what happened:
📍 Video Shows:
Pretti holding a cellphone before being tackled.
Agents pinning him to the ground and, in some footage, removing a handgun from his waistband or holster just before shots are fired.
One agent walking away with the gun while another agent — positioned behind Pretti — fires multiple shots into his back and torso.
These clips complicate early government claims that Pretti approached agents with a gun raised in a threatening manner. Instead, footage suggests that his firearm was removed before he was shot — challenging notions that he posed an immediate lethal threat at that moment.
🧵 Chain of Custody Concerns
Investigators have raised questions about how evidence was handled, including the firearm itself. CBS News reported that the gun lacked a documented chain of custody — it was placed in a Border Patrol vehicle without proper evidence bagging or labelling. Such procedural lapses can complicate forensic analysis and public confidence in official findings.
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