Alex Pretti Altercation Video Resurfaces, Intensifies Debate

MINNEAPOLIS (Azat TV) – Newly published videos depicting a physical confrontation between Alex Pretti and federal agents in Minneapolis on January 13, 2026, have rapidly spread across news platforms, intensifying the national debate surrounding the ICU nurse’s fatal shooting by federal officers just 11 days later. The footage, which emerged this week, provides a critical, if controversial, new dimension to the public understanding of Pretti’s interactions with law enforcement, particularly as it contrasts with initial, now-discredited official narratives about his death.

The two-minute video, initially published by The News Movement on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, alongside separate bystander footage from the Minnesota Star Tribune and other local outlets, captures an incident that occurred amidst intense community protests against federal crackdowns in Minneapolis. Pretti, 37, was fatally shot by Customs and Border Protection agents on January 24, 2026, making this earlier encounter a focal point for those questioning the circumstances of his death.

The January 13 Alex Pretti Confrontation

The videos from January 13 show Alex Pretti yelling at agents in an unmarked vehicle and kicking the tail light of their car as they attempted to move away. Shortly after, a heavily armed agent in tactical gear is seen exiting the vehicle and appearing to tackle Pretti to the ground. Other officers quickly crowded around him. Witnesses described a forceful takedown; Max Shapiro, who filmed one of the interactions, told the Minnesota Star Tribune that Pretti was “slammed to the ground pretty hard.”

Despite the forceful intervention, Pretti reportedly managed to break free from the officers and remained on the scene as the agents departed. During the altercation, Pretti’s coat was pulled off, revealing what appeared to be a gun in his waistband. According to reports, Pretti held a permit to carry a concealed handgun, and critically, he never touched the weapon during or after the incident.

A family representative confirmed to The Guardian that it was indeed Pretti in the footage. Steve Schleicher, an attorney representing Pretti’s family, issued a statement asserting, “A week before Alex was gunned down in the street – despite posing no threat to anyone – he was violently assaulted by a group of ICE agents. Nothing that happened a full week before could possibly have justified Alex’s killing.” The family also reported that Pretti sustained injuries but did not receive medical care following the confrontation.

Videos Detail Violent Altercation and Protests

The January 13 incident occurred just four blocks from where Renee Good had been killed by an ICE officer the week prior, adding to the volatile atmosphere. The videos provide a glimpse into the broader context of the protests that day, showing cars honking and people blowing whistles to alert neighbors to the presence of federal agents. More than 100 people had gathered to protest following reports of ICE’s operations in the neighborhood, according to local outlet Sahan Journal.

The chaotic footage further reveals that agents fired teargas and pepper balls into the crowd while Pretti was still being held down. State Representative Aisha Gomez, who was at the scene, recounted to Sahan Journal that agents had tackled another man and pushed his head into the ground, and that she herself was “shoved with no verbal communication whatsoever.”

Official Reactions and Broader Context

In response to the newly surfaced videos, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson stated on Wednesday night that the agency was reviewing the footage. However, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey dismissed the relevance of the January 13 confrontation to Pretti’s fatal shooting 11 days later. Speaking at a CNN town hall, Mayor Frey emphasized, “I think we should be talking about the circumstances that actually led to the killing and what took place and those circumstances,” suggesting the earlier incident was not directly pertinent to the subsequent fatality.

The emergence of these videos takes on particular significance given the initial, highly controversial claims made by Trump administration officials following Pretti’s death. Officials initially alleged that Pretti was “brandishing” a gun and intended to “massacre” officers on the day he was killed. These claims were later contradicted by other video evidence showing Pretti holding a phone, not a weapon, at the time of his fatal encounter. Pretti’s family had vehemently denied the administration’s narrative, stating, “The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting… Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs.”

Implications for the Alex Pretti Case

The widespread distribution of the January 13 video across major corporate and state-aligned media outlets has rekindled and intensified the national debate surrounding Alex Pretti’s death. The timing of its emergence, weeks after Pretti’s fatal shooting, allows for public perception to be shaped by a fuller, albeit complex, picture of his prior interactions with federal agents. While Mayor Frey suggested the earlier incident was irrelevant to the fatal shooting, the footage provides a stark visual counterpoint to official efforts to characterize Pretti, and it adds another layer of scrutiny to the actions of federal agents in Minneapolis. The video’s re-emergence underscores the volatile environment of federal immigration enforcement operations and the often-contentious nature of public protests.

The amplification and repetition of the January 13 video, particularly after the details of Pretti’s fatal shooting became widely known, serve to deepen public skepticism regarding official narratives and highlight the persistent tensions between communities and federal law enforcement. This recontextualization through widespread media attention ensures the incident remains central to ongoing discussions about accountability and transparency in federal operations.