Alex Pretti’s family is speaking out after the 37-year-old Minneapolis resident was shot and killed by federal immigration agents, accusing President Donald Trump and his administration of spreading “sickening lies” about what happened.
Source: OCTAVIO JONES / Getty
The Guardian reports the family said they were “heartbroken but also very angry” after Trump and his officials referred to Pretti as a “gunman” who approached Border Patrol agents.
The family statement rejects that framing and demands the public focus on what they said the video evidence actually shows.
“The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting,” Pretti’s family said in a statement quoted by The Guardian.
Family Points to Video and Witness Accounts
The Guardian reports two witnesses said in sworn testimony that Pretti did not brandish a weapon when he approached federal agents in Minneapolis.
One witness said federal agents tackled Pretti after he moved to help someone they had pushed to the ground. Footage from the scene supports the assertion that Pretti was holding a phone, not a gun, when he was tackled and shot.
The Department of Homeland Security released an image of a handgun after the killing, while Trump referred to it as “the gunman’s gun” in a social media post.
“This looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.”
National Guard Arrives After Walz Mobilizes Troops
TMZ reports the Minnesota National Guard arrived in Minneapolis Saturday night after Gov. Tim Walz mobilized troops to protect a federal building and the area connected to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
Footage shows Guard vehicles and personnel moving into the city as tensions remained high following the shooting and the release of newly surfaced video.
The video has raised serious questions about the government’s initial account of the incident.
Previously reported by BOSSIP, this unfortunate encounter happened near West 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue near a Glam Doll Donuts location, with at least five ICE agents that could be seen taking a person to the ground and beating them.
BOSSIP states the difference in some analysis which state 12 shots were heard in the video, while The New York Times analysis heard 10.
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey asked,
“How many more residents, how many more Americans, need to die or get badly hurt for this operation to end?”
Minnesota State Senate Majority Leader Erin Murphy said,
“ICE is a brutal invading force that acts without accountability or the most basic respect for human dignity or life. These agents of violence need to be brought to justice.”
Democrats Threaten a Shutdown Fight Over DHS Funding
HuffPost reports the latest fatal shooting in Minnesota has upended Congress’ plan to avert another government shutdown, with Senate Democrats saying they will not support additional Department of Homeland Security funding without major changes to the way ICE operates.
“What’s happening in Minnesota is appalling and unacceptable in any American city,” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said in a statement cited by HuffPost.
Schumer said Democrats sought reforms in the DHS spending bill but Republicans refused to stand up to Trump, leaving the bill inadequate to rein in ICE abuses. He also states Senate Democrats will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included in a broader spending package.
Democrats’ position increases the likelihood of a partial government shutdown when funding expires Jan. 30. ICE will keep running even if the government or DHS shuts down because of an unprecedented $75 billion boost in funding the agency received from Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill” passed last year.
Sen. Jacky Rosen said,
“The abuses of power we are seeing from ICE in Minneapolis and across the country are un-American and cannot be normalized. No one wants criminals in our country, but that’s not who this administration is going after. They’re targeting law abiding immigrants who just want to support their families and live the American Dream. Enough is enough. We need to rein in ICE’s out of control conduct.”
Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto called on Senate leaders to strip DHS funding from a broader package that includes funding for five other government agencies.
“Let’s pass the remaining five bipartisan bills and fund essential agencies while we continue to fight for a Department of Homeland Security that respects Americans’ constitutional rights and preserves federal law enforcement’s essential role to keep us safe,” Cortez Masto said.
Sen. Brian Schatz said,
“I am voting against funding for DHS until and unless more controls are put in place to hold ICE accountable. These repeated incidents of violence across the country are unlawful, needlessly escalatory, and making all of us less safe.”
A Minnesota Flashpoint Turns Into a National Test
The Obamas called Pretti’s death a “heartbreaking tragedy” and said it should be a “wake up call” that America’s core values are “increasingly under assault.”
The National Guard deployment is unfolding as Senate Democrats are approaching the Jan. 30 deadline prepared to block DHS funding unless ICE operations face major changes.
