A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report sent to Congress and obtained by ABC News provides new details regarding the shooting of Alex Pretti on Saturday in Minneapolis. According to the report, two federal officers discharged their firearms during the incident. Notably, the report does not indicate that Pretti attempted to reach for his weapon at any point.
The DHS conducted a preliminary review of body-worn camera footage and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) documentation from the scene. They are now notifying lawmakers of what they describe as key details from before and after Pretti was shot and killed.
The timeline outlined in the report states that while agents attempted to take Pretti into custody, a struggle ensued. During the altercation, a Border Patrol Agent (BPA) reportedly yelled, “He’s got a gun!” multiple times. Approximately five seconds later, one BPA discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19, and a CBP Officer (CBPO) also fired his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti.
However, the report does not clarify whether both agents struck Pretti with their gunfire. It does mention that after the shooting, a BPA advised he had possession of Pretti’s firearm, but the exact timing of when the firearm was secured remains unspecified.
Multiple videos of the incident captured by civilians show that Pretti was disarmed by a law enforcement officer just before the first shot was fired.
The DHS report further explains the events leading up to the confrontation. It states that agents “attempted to take Pretti into custody” after a woman ran to him for help when CBP agents tried to push her and another woman out of a roadway during enforcement actions nearby.
Specifically, the report says: “The CBPO ordered the female civilians to move out of the roadway, and the female civilians did not move. The CBPO pushed them both away and one of the females ran to a male, later identified as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a U.S. citizen.”
Efforts to move Pretti and the woman out of the roadway continued, with the CBPO deploying oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray towards both individuals after they refused to comply.
“CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody. Pretti resisted CBP personnel’s efforts and a struggle ensued,” the report adds.
The shooting on Saturday has sparked demands from lawmakers for a thorough investigation. According to ABC News’ count, more than two dozen congressional Republicans have called for a comprehensive review of the incident.
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/dhs-report-2-agents-fired-weapons-alex-pretti/story?id=129614976