Kristi Noem remains evasive on pressing inquiries regarding the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, specifically whether he was already disarmed when a Border Patrol agent fatally shot him.
The incident unfolded in broad daylight last Saturday in Minneapolis during a targeted immigration enforcement operation, marking a tragic turn of events for the 37-year-old Pretti.
Homeland Security Secretary has defended the agents’ actions, stating they fired in self-defense after Pretti allegedly “violently” resisted arrest, leading officers to fear for their lives.
Authorities assert that Pretti, who worked as an intensive care unit nurse, was armed with a loaded Sig Sauer P320 9mm pistol. However, video footage from the scene suggests that officers may have disarmed him before the shooting occurred.
During a segment on The Sunday Briefing, Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy questioned Noem about the protocols surrounding the use of lethal force on someone who might have been unarmed. Noem sidestepped the issue, emphasizing the ongoing investigation.
“That’s all part of this investigation. Every video will be analyzed. Everything will be looked at,” Noem stated, underscoring the need for a thorough review of the incident.
‘Part of the answer is that I can’t speak to every single thing that those officers thought but this happened in seconds. They clearly feared for their lives and took action to defend themselves and the people around them.’
Noem, a MAGA Republican, also pointed to the bystander video in which someone yelled out ‘gun, gun, gun’ and claimed the federal officers ‘reacted to that’.
But she failed to acknowledge that it is unclear if the remark heard on camera was made in reference to Pretti’s alleged weapon or a federal agent’s gun.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem dodged crucial questions about the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, including if he had been disarmed before a Border Patrol agent killed him, during a Sunday morning Fox News appearance
Alex Pretti, 37, was shot dead by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis on Saturday during a targeted immigration enforcement operation
Pretti was pepper-sprayed and shot down by federal agents during the incident on Saturday
Noem previously claimed that Pretti, an intensive care nurse who has protested President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, showed up on Saturday to ‘impede a law enforcement operation.’
The DHS Secretary has questioned why Pretti was armed but did not offer details about whether he drew the weapon or brandished it at officers.
Noem also previously blamed two of Minnesota’s most senior Democrat lawmakers – Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey – for the shooting.
‘Our law enforcement are doing everything they can to protect the public. We’re praying for the deceased’s loved ones, family, and friends, but we also recognize that the Minnesota and the Minneapolis governor need to take a long hard look in the mirror,’ she said during a press conference on Saturday.
‘They need to evaluate their rhetoric, their conversations, and their encouragement of such violence against our citizens and law enforcement officers.’
Minneapolis police say Pretti had no serious criminal history and was a lawful gun owner with a valid permit.
Videos do not clearly show who fired the first shot, but one gun expert has said he believes Pretti’s Sig Sauer P320 went off, prompting the agent to open fire.
‘I believe it’s highly likely the first shot was a negligent discharge from the agent in the grey jacket after he removed the Sig P320 from Pretti’s holster while exiting the scene,’ Rob Dobar, a lawyer for the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, wrote on X.
Dobar’s analysis comes as a federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order banning the Trump administration from ‘destroying or altering evidence’ related to the death of Pretti. It has not been confirmed whether Pretti’s gun fired any shots.
Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy probed Noem about the protocol of using deadly force on an unarmed person, but she seemingly dismissed his question. Noem said the officers ‘clearly feared for their lives and took action to defend themselves and the people around them’
Federal authorities claim the intensive care unit nurse was carrying this loaded Sig Sauer P320 9mm pistol
Alex Jeffrey Pretti, 37, could be seen the street filming with his phone while a small group confronts a federal agent. His other hand appeared to be empty
Saturday’s fatal shooting has prompted outrage from Americans who have denounced the incident as a case of excessive force carried out by untrained federal officers. The Trump administration, however, says it was a case of an armed man provoking violence.
Multiple bystander videos show a Border Patrol agent shooting and killing Pretti after a roughly 30-second scuffle around 9am Saturday.
The videos appear to contradict statements by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which said the shots were fired ‘defensively’ against Pretti as he ‘approached’ them with a gun.
In the videos, Pretti is seen with only a phone in his hand. None of the footage appears to show him with a weapon.
During the scuffle, agents discovered that he was carrying a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, and they opened fire with several shots.
Federal officials have not released the agent’s identity, but did confirm the officer who shot Pretti is an eight-year Border Patrol veteran.
Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino , who has led the administration’s big-city immigration campaign, said the officer who shotPretti had extensive training as a range safety officer and in using less-lethal force.
‘This is only the latest attack on law enforcement. Across the country, the men and women of DHS have been attacked, shot at,’ he said.
Pretti is seen holding his phone and appearing to speak or film as he engages with federal agents
Pretti can be seen holding a bright, shiny object during a struggle with federal agents
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who said he watched one of the videos of the incident, said he saw ‘more than six masked agents pummeling one of our constituents, shooting him to death.’
Frey has said Minneapolis and St. Paul are being ‘invaded’ by the administration’s largest immigration crackdown, dubbed Operation Metro Surge.
Noem said Pretti attacked officers, and Customs and Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino said Pretti wanted to do ‘maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.’
In posts on X, President Donald Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, called Pretti ‘a would-be assassin.’
The shooting comes just weeks after the January 7 killing of 37-year-old Renee Good, who was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer less than a mile away.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has branded the shooting ‘horrific’ and demanded state authorities lead the investigation into Pretti’s death.
‘The federal government cannot be trusted to lead this investigation. The state will handle it, period,’ Walz told a news conference.
He has called for an end to Trump’s federal operation in his state and activated the Minnesota National Guard amid growing tensions and protests.
Officers are seen kneeling next to Pretti after being shot moments earlier
Pretti could be seen trying to assist a women who was on the ground when officers stepped in
Frey also urged Trump to end the immigration operation, which has sparked sometimes violent demonstrations.
‘This is a moment to act like a leader. Put Minneapolis, put America first in this moment –– let’s achieve peace. Let’s end this operation,’ Frey told a news conference.
Senator Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, also criticized officers’ actions, writing on X: ‘The events in Minneapolis are incredibly disturbing. The credibility of ICE and DHS are at stake.’
‘There must be a full joint federal and state investigation. We can trust the American people with the truth.’
State and city officials on Saturday filed a lawsuit against DHS, ICE, Customs and Border Patrol (CBP), as well as their respective, leadership over the shooting of Pretti.
