Federal agents shot and killed a man in Minneapolis on Saturday, the second person to be fatally shot in the city during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown this month.
Local officials identified the man as 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a US citizen who lived in Minneapolis and worked as a nurse.
Videos have emerged showing a scuffle between Border Patrol agents and the man in the lead up to the shooting. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the agents fired in self-defence after Pretti, who they say had a handgun, resisted their attempts to disarm him.
Eyewitnesses, local officials and the victim’s family have challenged that account, pointing out he had a phone in his hand, not a weapon. His parents accused the administration of spreading “sickening lies” about what happened. “Please get the truth out about our son,” they added.
The incident, which came two weeks after the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an immigration agent, has led to further protests and renewed calls from local leaders for federal agents to leave the city.
What we know about fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minn
Federal agents shot and killed a man in Minneapolis on Saturday, the second person to be fatally shot in the city during the Trump administration’s immigration enforcement crackdown this month.
Local officials identified the man as 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a US citizen who lived in Minneapolis and worked as a nurse.
Videos have emerged showing a scuffle between Border Patrol agents and the man in the lead up to the shooting. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the agents fired in self-defence after Pretti, who they say had a handgun, resisted their attempts to disarm him.
Eyewitnesses, local officials and the victim’s family have challenged that account, pointing out he had a phone in his hand, not a weapon. His parents accused the administration of spreading “sickening lies” about what happened. “Please get the truth out about our son,” they added.
The incident, which came two weeks after the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an immigration agent, has led to further protests and renewed calls from local leaders for federal agents to leave the city.
Here is what we know so far.
What happened in the moments before the shooting?
The shooting occurred on Saturday morning near Nicollet Avenue and 26th Street in south Minneapolis at 9:05 local time (15:05 GMT).
Greg Bovino, the Border Patrol commander, said agents had been carrying out a “targeted” immigration enforcement operation when Pretti approached agents with a “9mm semi-automatic” handgun.
Bovino did not specify if Pretti was brandishing the gun, but said agents attempted to disarm him and he “violently resisted”. The commander said a Border Patrol officer then “fired defensive shots”.
Videos from the moments before the shooting show Pretti filming agents with his phone in the middle of the street. Whistling and shouting can be heard from bystanders in the background.
From one angle, an agent appears to push a woman. When the camera pans back to Pretti, he is seen with his arm around her. The agent then pushes back a second woman. At the same time, Pretti reaches his arm out and stands between her and the agent.
The agent then sprays a substance in his eyes. Pretti turns his face away and reaches one open hand up in the air. He appears to be clutching a phone in the other. No gun is visible.
Another video from a different angle shows the agent grabbing Pretti by the arm, before more agents get involved. Pretti is brought to the ground, with at least six agents on top of him. One agent can be seen striking at his head.
Another officer, who appears to approach the scuffle with empty hands, pulls back with what appears to be a gun in his hand. As he moves away toward a vehicle, a split second later another agent standing beside him opens fire.
The agents jump back from the man lying on the ground and the firing continues. A total of 10 gunshots are heard.
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