Woman Who Filmed Alex Pretti Shooting Provides Sworn Testimony Contradicting Federal Account

MINNEAPOLIS, Jan. 28, 2026 — A woman who recorded the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026, has come forward in sworn testimony, describing the moments leading up to his death and directly contradicting the Department of Homeland Security’s initial narrative that Pretti posed an immediate threat with a firearm.

In an affidavit filed Saturday in federal court as part of an ACLU-led lawsuit against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other officials, the witness — a children’s entertainer who specializes in face painting — stated she arrived at the scene on her way to work specifically to document federal immigration enforcement actions. She positioned herself behind Pretti, who was recording agents with his phone.

The woman testified that she witnessed federal officers shove another observer to the ground and then deploy pepper spray on Pretti and others. “The ICE agents just kept spraying,” she said in the affidavit. Pretti, she continued, moved to assist the woman who had been pushed down. “He wasn’t even turned toward them. It didn’t look like he was trying to resist, just trying to help the woman up. I didn’t see him with a gun.”

According to her account, agents then tackled Pretti to the ground. “They threw him to the ground. Four or five agents had him on the ground and they just started shooting him,” she stated. She emphasized that at no point did she observe Pretti brandish a weapon or make any aggressive move toward the officers.

A second witness, a physician who lives nearby, filed a separate affidavit stating he was initially prevented by federal agents from rendering medical aid to Pretti after the shooting. Both testimonies were submitted in support of the ACLU’s emergency motion seeking to halt federal operations in Minneapolis, citing ongoing risks to public safety and First Amendment rights.

DHS officials have maintained that Pretti approached agents with a handgun and resisted disarmament efforts, leading to “defensive shots.” A department timeline released Monday claims agents attempted to take Pretti into custody after he allegedly resisted, with one yelling “He’s got a gun!” multiple times. However, multiple bystander videos analyzed by independent outlets including The New York Times, The Guardian and BBC Verify show Pretti holding a phone in his right hand and raising his empty left hand before being tackled. No weapon is visible in his hands in the footage.

Pretti, 37, was an intensive care nurse at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System. His parents, Michael and Susan Pretti, issued a statement calling him “a kindhearted soul” who “always wanted to make a difference in this world.” They denounced the administration’s characterization of their son as violent.

The shooting is the third involving federal agents in Minneapolis this month, following the deaths of Renée Nicole Good and another non-fatal incident. It has intensified protests and legal challenges to “Operation Metro Surge,” a large-scale federal immigration enforcement operation in the city.

A federal judge in Minnesota has ordered preservation of evidence related to Pretti’s killing. The case remains under investigation by Homeland Security Investigations, with all agents involved placed on administrative duty or relocated.

The Justice Department and DHS did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the affidavits. The ACLU lawsuit seeks injunctive relief and damages, arguing federal actions violate constitutional protections.

The incident has fueled national debate over immigration enforcement tactics, federal authority in local jurisdictions, and accountability for use of force by masked agents. Protests continued Monday in Minneapolis, with calls for independent oversight and transparency.