Full Report
To stay up to date on our latest investigations, join Bellingcat’s WhatsApp channel here On January 24, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, was shot and killed by federal agents on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The shooting comes just over two weeks after Renee […] The post Alex Pretti: Analysing Footage of Minneapolis CBP Shooting appeared first on bellingcat.
Analysis Summary
# Main Topic
Analysis of video footage surrounding the on-duty fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, by federal agents (DHS/CBP) on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on January 24th, contradicting official narratives regarding an "armed struggle."
## Key Points
- Alex Pretti was fatally shot by federal agents following an interaction initiated while agents were conducting an immigration arrest in the area.
- DHS initially claimed the shooting resulted from an "armed struggle" where Pretti allegedly intended to "do maximum damage."
- Video analysis suggests Pretti was documenting the scene with his cellphone and was subsequently sprayed with a substance from a canister by an agent before multiple agents subdued him.
- At least five additional federal agents converged on Pretti after the initial contact and spraying.
- A crucial finding from video analysis shows one federal agent appearing to remove a handgun from the melee involving Pretti *before* the first shots were fired.
- Pretti’s right hand was holding a cellphone, filming, during the interaction; it is unconfirmed if he possessed a gun at the time of shooting.
- The shooting followed another fatal shooting by a federal agent in Minneapolis just over two weeks prior (Renee Good).
## Threat Actors
- **Perpetrators:** Federal Agents, specifically identified as Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) officers.
- **Attribution Note:** One agent who reportedly fired "defensive shots" was identified as an eight-year veteran of CBP.
- **Motivation (Official Claim):** Self-defense following Pretti's alleged aggression to "do maximum damage."
## TTPs
- **Use of Force Escalation:** Initial interaction involved an agent pushing Pretti; escalated to the use of spray/canister on Pretti, followed by physical restraint attempts by multiple officers.
- **Disputed Narrative:** Official narrative of an "armed struggle" is contested by video evidence showing Pretti documenting the scene prior to force application.
- **Potential Evidence Contamination/Removal:** Evidence suggests an agent removed a handgun from the immediate vicinity of the struggle before the shooting sequence began.
- **Response Tactics:** Multiple agents converging on a subject following initial non-lethal force application (spraying).
## Affected Systems
- **Victim:** Alex Pretti, 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System.
- **Jurisdiction/Location:** Nicollet Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- **Affected Parties (Indirect):** Two women reportedly shoved by a DHS agent shortly before Pretti intervened.
## Mitigations
*Note: Since this report focuses on analyzing a completed law enforcement action, the mitigations are focused on response/investigation rather than proactive cyber defense.*
- **Law Enforcement Oversight & Transparency:** Required rigorous investigation into the sequence of events, particularly regarding the official claim of an armed struggle versus video evidence suggesting weapon removal prior to firing.
- **Transparency of Evidence:** Need for full disclosure of video evidence and forensic findings regarding whether Pretti possessed a weapon when fatal shots were discharged.
- **Personnel and Protocols:** Review of federal use-of-force protocols, especially when dealing with individuals documenting law enforcement activity or in scenarios surrounding immigration enforcement actions.
## Conclusion
Bellingcat's preliminary analysis of publicly available footage directly casts doubt on the DHS/CBP account of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, highlighting potential inconsistencies regarding Pretti's armament and the sequence in which force was applied. The documented removal of what appears to be a handgun from the immediate vicinity raises significant investigative questions that warrant deep scrutiny to determine the justification for the subsequent five gunshots.