Minneapolis, Minnesota - A first official investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis shows that two Customs and Border Protection agents fired at him – and that he never brandished his gun.
The New York Times and CBS News reported that one Border Patrol agent initially opened fire on Pretti, followed by a CBP officer, per an email containing the preliminary investigation that the Department of Homeland Security sent to members of Congress.
The killing of Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse who worked at a veterans hospital, inflamed tensions over President Donald Trump's assault on immigrant communities and political opponents in Democratic-run cities.
According to media reports citing the document, the report does not state that Pretti reached for the weapon he was licensed to carry – even though top Trump administration officials had immediately accused him of threatening immigration agents.
One Border Patrol agent allegedly shouted "He's got a gun!" multiple times before Pretti's killing. Footage shows him being disarmed before being gunned down in a hail of bullets, despite offering no resistance to the federal officials beating him.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said shortly after the incident that Pretti appeared determined to cause maximum harm and kill officers and had been brandishing a weapon – claims clearly proven to have been lies.
Noem has since come under pressure to resign or face impeachment, with some Republicans joining Democrats in calls for her dismissal.