‘He was only helping’: Witness accounts of shooting shared in bid to get ICE restrictions reinstated

Witness accounts of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti describe him observing federal law enforcement and helping with traffic in the moments leading up to gunfire in south Minneapolis.

The statements were filed late Jan. 24 alongside an ongoing lawsuit and related petition from attorneys asking an appeals court to reinstate restrictions on U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

In a court affidavit, a witness provided a firsthand account of seeing Pretti filming with other observers on 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue as federal agents asked people to retreat and threatened to use pepper spray.

The witness said an ICE agent shoved one of the observers to the ground and used pepper spray on three people, including Pretti.

Pretti put his hands above his head, the witness said. An agent pepper-sprayed him again and pushed Pretti. The witness said Pretti appeared to then help a woman who had been shoved to the ground. Agents then grabbed Pretti and pulled him to the street.

“Four or five agents had him on the ground and they just started shooting him,” the witness said, stating she was 5 feet from the incident. “They shot him so many times.”

A pediatrician who said they live near the scene of the shooting ran outside as soon as they saw the shots fired. They asked ICE agents if they could assess Pretti, according to court records.

The pediatrician said none of the agents was performing CPR on Pretti or checking for a pulse, according to the court record.

“Instead of doing either of those things, the ICE agents appeared to be counting his bullet wounds,” the pediatrician said.

After asking again, an agent allowed them to approach and assess Pretti. The pediatrician said Pretti had three bullet wounds in his back, another wound on his upper left chest and a possible wound to his neck. The pediatrician did not feel a pulse, the record said. They began compressions until emergency medical personnel arrived.

Both bystanders disputed the Department of Homeland Security’s account that Pretti approached agents with a gun. Each said they never saw him reach for or hold a firearm. One of the witnesses said Pretti approached agents with a camera.