Minneapolis, Minnesota — The fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti, 37, by federal agents during a protest in Minneapolis continues to spark widespread outrage across the United States, as senior Border Patrol officials publicly defend the actions of the agents involved.
Border Patrol commander Gregory Bovino has stated that the agents who shot Pretti “did a good job,” remarks that have intensified public anger and renewed calls for an independent investigation.
Pretti’s death occurred weeks after the fatal shooting of Renee Good, further escalating tensions surrounding federal immigration enforcement operations.
Multiple videos circulating on social media capture moments before and after Pretti was shot while attending a protest.
The footage shows Pretti attempting to help a woman to her feet after she was pushed into the snow by an agent.
Moments later, he appears to be pepper-sprayed, tackled to the ground by several agents, and then shot multiple times. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
Reports indicate that Pretti was legally carrying a firearm at the time.
However, several accounts have suggested that agents had already disarmed him before the shooting occurred — a claim that has become central to public scrutiny and demands for accountability.
In an interview with Dana Bash on CNN, Bovino dismissed interpretations drawn from the video footage and insisted that the investigation would ultimately determine what occurred.
“The suspect put himself in that situation,” Bovino said, adding, “The victims are the Border Patrol agents there.”
Bovino further praised law enforcement training, stating that it prevented what he suggested could have been an attack on officers.
“So good job for our law enforcement in taking him down before he was able to do that,” he said.
When pressed by Bash about why Pretti was shot after his weapon was reportedly taken away, Bovino declined to give a direct answer.
He argued that video clips represent “freeze-frame adjudication” and emphasized that neither he nor the public could confirm whether Pretti was unarmed at the moment he was shot.
“You don’t know that he was unarmed. I don’t know that he was unarmed,” Bovino said, reiterating that investigators would determine the facts.
Bash responded by challenging what she described as contradictory conclusions being drawn before the investigation is complete.
Bovino’s comments have drawn sharp criticism online, with many questioning why video evidence from multiple angles is being dismissed while officials simultaneously characterize the shooting as justified.
Former President Donald Trump also addressed the incident over the weekend, saying authorities are reviewing the case.
While he did not explicitly state whether he believed the shooting was justified, Trump expressed concern about firearms being present at protests.
“I don’t like any shooting,” he said, adding that he also opposed individuals bringing “a very powerful, fully loaded gun” to demonstrations.
As protests continue and public pressure mounts, the killing of Alex Pretti remains a focal point in the national debate over the use of force by federal agents, accountability in law enforcement, and the growing tension surrounding immigration enforcement operations in the United States.
