This was not an isolated incident. Pretti’s killing marked the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal forces in Minneapolis this month, following the earlier death of Renée Good during a separate enforcement action. Together, the two cases have fueled growing concern among residents, civil rights advocates, and elected officials about the scope and conduct of federal operations in the city.
According to initial federal statements, a U.S. Border Patrol agent fired after Pretti allegedly approached officers with a weapon and resisted efforts to disarm him. Those claims were quickly challenged. Multiple bystander videos surfaced online within hours, showing Pretti holding a phone in the moments leading up to the shooting. In the footage, he appears to be backing away and speaking as officers converge on him. The videos do not clearly show a firearm in his hands, nor do they depict an imminent threat that would obviously justify lethal force. Continue reading…