Expert reveals detail about Alex Pretti's gun that offers possible clue to why Border Patrol agent shot him
An expert has identified a detail which might have inadvertently led to the tragic death of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last weekend.
The 37-year-old nurse, who cared for US military veterans, was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents in Minnesota on Saturday, 24 January, just weeks after Renee Good suffered the same fate in the same city.
Federal immigration agents have been detaining a large number of people in recent months and are targeting Minneapolis in particular, due to it being home to the largest community of Somali immigrants in the US.
Pretti became the latest victim amongst anti-ICE protests, with the Trump administration once again claiming that he was acting violently.
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The president described him as a 'gunman' and Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem claimed that he intended to 'massacre law enforcement' and do 'maximum damage'.
However, video footage from a number of sources in the days since Pretti's death have made it clear that these claims are not true whatsoever.
Witnesses have confirmed that Pretti was helping two women and was holding a phone to record what was happening, rather than brandishing a weapon at Border Patrol agents as those in politics would have you believe.
Further footage heartbreakingly captured the moment Pretti was pinned to the floor, pepper sprayed and then shot multiple times, despite agents seemingly having the situation in complete control and taking the weapon that the nurse was allegedly carrying, which he was committing no crimes by carrying under US law.
Warning: This video contains troubling footage from the moments before Pretti's death
And now, an expert has had his say on the handgun and why it might just have accidentally led to the US citizen's death.
Rob Doar, a lawyer for the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, suggests that Pretti’s gun could have gone off accidentally after the agent disarmed it, leading the other agent to open fire.
On X, he wrote: “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."
Had the agents heard a gunshot, it might well have made their fears more genuine, but the video footage certainly suggests that the shots were unnecessary given he had been disarmed and was left helpless on the floor.
Mr Pretti's family have spoken out to refute the claims made by Trump's administration, describing their son as a 'kind-hearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends'.
They said: "The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump's murdering and cowardly ICE thugs.
“He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down all while being pepper-sprayed.
“Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man.”
ICE in Minnesota: a timeline of events
Dec 2025: Trump sends thousands of ICE agents to Minneapolis
In late December 2025, with reports emerging around January 6 (the five-year anniversary of the Capitol Riots), President Donald Trump sent around 2,000 ICE agents into Minneapolis to crack down on immigration.
This was reportedly due to, more specifically, allegations of fraud aimed at Somalian residents.
Jan 7: ICE agent Jonathan Ross kills Renee Good
On January 7, ICE agent Jonathan Ross shot and killed mother-of-three Renee Good at the scene of an ICE raid in southern Minnesota. Good’s car was stopped sideways, in what is believed to have been an attempt to block ICE agents from passing.
As Good went to reverse her vehicle away from the agents, Ross shot her at least two times, once in the face. Good died at the scene.
Jan 7: Protests break out in Minneapolis
Following the killing of Renee Good, protests broke out in Minneapolis that same night. Protests are still ongoing at the time of writing (January 19), and tensions remain high in the twin cities.
Jan 12: Minnesota sues the Trump administration
On January 12, the state of Minnesota filed a motion in federal court to sue the Trump administration in an attempt to block the surge of ICE agents. Minnesota's Attorney General Keith Ellison said immigration operations have caused ‘chaos and violence’ for millions of people and disrupted their lives.
Jan 13: ICE drags disabled woman from car
On January 13, on a street in Minnesota City, ICE agents were caught on camera dragging an unknown disabled woman from her car. This happened just two blocks from where Good was shot.
The woman shouted at the time: “I’ve been beat up by police before. I’m disabled, I’m trying to go to the doctor up there, that’s why I couldn’t move. I am an autistic disabled person, I’m trying to go to the doctor.”
The Independent reports that ‘tear gas, flash bang grenades and pepper balls were also fired towards the protesters during the stand-off’.
Jan 14: Venezuelan man shot by ICE
A Venezuelan man was shot in the leg by ICE officers on January 14 during an alleged traffic stop. It’s been reported that during the traffic stop, the officer was attacked by another individual in the car with a ‘snow shovel and broom handle’, which is allegedly why they opened fire on two individuals. The man who was shot has not yet been identified.
Jan 15: Trump threatens insurrection
Trump has not reacted well to the protests and took to Truth Social to threaten Minnesota with insurrection. On January 15, he said: “If the corrupt politicians of Minnesota don’t obey the law and stop the professional agitators and insurrectionists from attacking the Patriots of I.C.E., who are only trying to do their job, I will institute the INSURRECTION ACT,.”
Jan 18: 1,500 US troops on standby for deployment
On January 18, officials confirmed that 1,500 soldiers are on standby for deployment to Minneapolis. The troops are currently in Alaska, and no official word has been given to send them in as of yet.
Minnesota officials have asked protesters to stay ‘peaceful’ and ‘orderly’. This comes after Mayor Jacob Frey of Minneapolis told ICE to ‘get the f*ck out’.
January 24: ICU nurse Alex Pretti shot by US Border Patrol
ICU nurse for United States Department of Veterans Affairs, Alex Pretti, was shot and killed by Border Patrol Agents in Minneapolis in the midst of citywide protests against Trump's immigration crackdown. He was a 37 year old US citizen.
Topics: Donald Trump, US News, Politics, Crime
James Moorhouse