In a contentious move, the Trump administration stands accused of attempting to obscure details surrounding the Minneapolis Border Patrol shooting. This critique stems from a hastily issued statement that reportedly failed to garner consensus and has led to allegations of a cover-up.
The incident, which claimed the life of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, was swiftly addressed by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) just hours after it occurred on a Saturday morning. The agency’s statement portrayed the Border Patrol officer involved as acting in self-defense, alleging that Pretti was armed at the time of the shooting.
To support their narrative, DHS released an image of a nine-millimeter semi-automatic handgun, asserting that Pretti approached the officer with the weapon, prompting a “violent” confrontation. However, this account has been met with skepticism, particularly after video footage from the scene surfaced.
The video evidence, which seemingly contradicts the DHS’s version of events, has raised significant doubts among officials, including Governor Tim Walz. The footage reportedly shows no indication of Pretti brandishing a firearm, despite his status as a lawful gun owner.
A source within DHS, speaking to the Daily Mail, revealed that Pretti, although licensed to carry, never reached for his weapon during the incident. The source expressed discontent with the hasty release of the statement, suggesting it may have prioritized speed over truthfulness, potentially obscuring the facts of the case.
A DHS source told the Daily Mail that while licensed to carry a weapon, Pretti never touched his weapon. The insider expressed frustration that colleagues had raced to get a statement out at the potential cost of accuracy.
‘They rushed to put out an announcement that no one agreed with,’ the DHS insider claimed. ’The department is trying to justify this quickly.
‘Minnesota allows people to carry firearms and this individual never pulled out his firearm.’
The Department of Homeland Security said the Border Patrol agent who killed Alex Pretti, 37, was acting defensively – but this account has been queried by state officials
Pretti is seen facing off with federal agents before he was shot dead. Insiders at the Department of Homeland Security expressed concern the agency rushed to get a statement out without understanding the facts
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told the Daily Mail that the suspect was armed with two magazines, and that the gun has since been recovered by federal authorities
The source claimed that veteran DHS employees have been left quietly horrified by the direction the department is taking and raised fears the situation bares concerning echoes of the shooting of Renee Nicole Good.
Good, 37, was shot at point blank range in her car by an Immigration Customs Enforcement Agent in Minneapolis earlier this month.
‘Career employees who would like to follow protocol and policy are being disregarded,’ the source said.
‘It’s the same issue as the last shooting. They are not following protocol, which is to conduct an investigation and decide whether or not the shooting is justified. The administration just wants to get out and say that it was justified as quickly as possible.
‘If you notice from the last shooting, the White House has stopped that investigation and told the FBI not to investigate,’ the source continued.
‘So now we have another shooting on the Border Patrol side and again, they want to rush a statement out, justifying the behavior without looking into whether or not it was a good shot.’
A protester appeared to be detained after an Border Patrol agent reportedly shot a man several times in Minneapolis
DHS said an agent had his finger bitten by a protester amid violent clashes following Pretti’s death
Meanwhile a Border Patrol agent told the Daily Mail that it was becoming increasingly difficult to do the job due to protesters and legal observers.
‘It’s been absolutely rough. I’m so done,’ said one female Border Patrol agent, who was not involved in today’s incident.
‘F*** all those people. When we are trying to do our investigation they come and blow whistles and honk to alert everyone and then we can’t get the actually people we are targeting and they follow us honking and just making things way worse.
‘We give them a warning that they’re impeding an investigation and if they continue to follow us and impede they get arrested so we can do our job.’
Authorities said they were in pursuit of Ecuadorian man Jose Huerta-Chuma when Pretti was shot.
Border Patrol Cmdr. Greg Bovino said he has a lengthy criminal past including domestic assault, disorderly conduct and driving offenses, the Star Tribune reported.
DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said alleged rioters who turned up to protest following Pretti’s death clashed violently with agents, with one biting an officer so severely he will ‘lose his finger’.
DHS boss Kristi Noem’s department came under fire from one of its own who claimed there are behind the scenes concerns about protocol being abandoned
Gas canisters were thrown through the air by immigration enforcement amidst rising protests
A federal agent and a protestor pictured face to face amidst widespread protests
The situation is one that resonates with the female Border Patrol agent who described being in fear all the time.
‘An agent and Office of Field Operations officer got locked in an Indian restaurant and the owner called agitators to swarm the building and so the agents had to call a specialty team to extract them from the restaurant. It was like f***ing Iraq,’ she said.
The Daily Mail has contacted DHS for comment.
