Alex Pretti Attacked Immigration Enforcement Days Before Fatal Shooting, Video Shows
Newly released video footage reveals that Alex Pretti, the leftist activist killed during a recent immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, had violently confronted federal agents just days before the deadly incident.
The video, filmed on January 13 and released by The News Movement, shows Pretti targeting a federal immigration vehicle during a protest in the city’s Powderhorn neighborhood. In the footage, Pretti spits on the vehicle, kicks out a taillight, and flashes his middle finger at the agents inside. One agent exits the vehicle and tackles Pretti, who manages to escape by slipping out of his coat and retreating behind a crowd of demonstrators. A firearm appears to be visible in his waistband as he flees.
The family’s attorney, Steve Schleicher, confirmed to the Minnesota Star Tribune that the man in the video is indeed Pretti. Schleicher claimed that Pretti had been “violently assaulted” by agents that day, despite posing “no threat to anyone.”
The altercation took place just blocks from the site where another activist, Renee Good, was shot and killed by immigration officers on January 7. Authorities say Good rammed her vehicle into an officer during an attempt to interfere with enforcement operations. Pretti’s January 13 scuffle occurred less than a week later in the same neighborhood.
The Minnesota Star Tribune confirmed with Alex Pretti’s family that the man in this video is indeed Alex Pretti.
Filmed by @thenewsmovement on January 13, two weeks before Pretti was shot by ICE: pic.twitter.com/1yLKLApXvB
— Mary Margaret Olohan (@MaryMargOlohan) January 28, 2026
Pretti died 11 days later, on January 24, during an altercation with Border Patrol agents. According to CNN, he had suffered a broken rib during the earlier confrontation. Despite video evidence, the Department of Homeland Security has stated it has “no record” of the January 13 encounter.
The video’s release has reignited tensions in Minnesota, where Pretti’s death sparked mass protests and renewed calls from state and local Democrats to end cooperation with federal immigration authorities. The Trump administration has since reshuffled its enforcement presence in the state, replacing controversial Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino with former ICE Director Tom Homan as the new federal liaison.
Homan has met with both Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey to manage the ongoing situation. The administration hopes the leadership change will calm tensions, though protests have continued.
President Trump called Pretti’s death “a very unfortunate incident” and defended his immigration policies amid rising pressure. Customs and Border Protection confirmed that two agents involved in the fatal shooting have been placed on administrative leave pending investigation.