Videos surface showing Pretti clashed with Federal Agents days before fatal shooting

Newly surfaced video footage shows Alex Pretti physically clashing with federal immigration agents just 11 days before he was fatally shot by Customs and Border Protection officers in Minneapolis — raising fresh questions about the circumstances surrounding his death.

The video, first published by digital outlet The News Movement and confirmed by Pretti’s family, shows the 37-year-old ICU nurse shouting at federal agents and kicking the taillight of their vehicle as it attempted to drive away. The agents then stop, exit the vehicle and tackle Pretti to the ground in a brief but violent confrontation before walking away without arresting or disarming him.

A firearm appears tucked into Pretti’s waistband in the footage, though it remains unclear whether agents noticed it at the time. The interaction lasts only seconds and ends with Pretti standing and responding “OK” when asked by a bystander how he is feeling.

The Department of Homeland Security confirmed Wednesday it is reviewing the footage. DHS previously said it had “no record” of an earlier encounter involving Pretti — a claim now under renewed scrutiny.

According to CNN sources, Pretti suffered a broken rib after being tackled by federal officers during a protest roughly a week before his death. It remains unclear whether the newly released footage shows that same incident.

Pretti was shot and killed on January 24 during a separate encounter with federal agents less than two miles from where the video was filmed. DHS has said the agent involved fired “defensive shots,” claiming Pretti was armed. That account has been disputed by witnesses and family attorneys, who say video from the fatal incident shows Pretti holding a phone, not a gun, as he attempted to record the operation.

“This footage changes nothing about the fact that Alex posed no threat when he was killed,” said family attorney Steve Schleicher. “Nothing that happened days earlier could justify his execution in the street.”

key takeaways

• New video confirms a physical clash between Alex Pretti and federal agents 11 days before his death

• DHS says it is reviewing the footage, despite previously claiming no record of such an incident

• Family and witnesses dispute the official account of the fatal shooting, citing video evidence

SOURCE: CNN

Tackling a taillight is quite different from putting a man on the ground, wouldn't you say? If military hammers cost $548, I bet taillights run at least $700.