Inner evaluation contradicts White Home narrative of Pretti’s dying : NPR

[ad_1] <img src="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5027x3351+0+0/resize/1100/quality/50/format/jpeg/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdc%2F4a%2Fe1a7f0fb466eb5b96c7422448f28%2Fgettyimages-2258128073.jpg" data-template="https://npr.brightspotcdn.com/dims3/default/strip/false/crop/5027x3351+0+0/resize/{width}/quality/{quality}/format/{format}/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnpr-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fdc%2F4a%2Fe1a7f0fb466eb5b96c7422448f28%2Fgettyimages-2258128073.jpg" class="img" alt="A picture sits at a memorial to Alex Pretti on Jan. 25, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minn. (Photo by" fetchpriority="high"/> An image sits at a memorial to Alex Pretti on Jan. 25, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minn. Scott Olson/Getty Photos conceal caption

toggle caption

Scott Olson/Getty Photos A preliminary authorities evaluation contradicts the Trump administration's preliminary narrative of the capturing of 37-year-old Alex Pretti final week in Minneapolis.

Pretti's dying by the hands of immigration officers escalated tensions surrounding the Trump administration's immigration enforcement surge, and has already prompted bipartisan requires an investigation. Pretti was the second U.S. citizen killed by immigration officers in Minneapolis this month.

In response to the preliminary evaluation, Customs and Border Safety officers mentioned Pretti resisted arrest earlier than two officers shot him.

However the evaluation makes no point out of Pretti attacking officers or threatening them with a weapon — because the administration first described the incident. It additionally seems to extra intently match a number of bystander video and witness testimony of the incident.

The preliminary evaluation of Pretti's capturing, often known as a dying notification, was shared by congressional sources not approved to talk publicly, and reviewed by NPR. It was based mostly on body-worn digicam footage and documentation from the company, it mentioned.

The CBP evaluation describes how officers have been initially confronted by two girls who have been blowing whistles whereas they performed an immigration enforcement operation.

"The [officer] pushed them each away and one of many females ran to a male, later recognized as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a US citizen. The [officer] tried to maneuver the lady and Pretti out of the roadway. The lady and Pretti didn't transfer," the evaluation states, including that the officer then sprayed each with oleoresin capsicum spray, generally often known as pepper spray.

CBP officers tried to take Pretti into custody. Pretti resisted their efforts and a wrestle ensued, in keeping with the report.

Throughout the wrestle, an agent yelled, "He is received a gun!" a number of occasions, the evaluation states.

Roughly 5 seconds later, one agent discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and an officer additionally discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti. After the capturing, an agent suggested that he had Pretti's firearm in his possession, the evaluation states.

Homeland Safety Secretary Kristi Noem was fast to explain Pretti's actions as "home terrorism," saying Pretti was "attacking" officers and "brandishing" a weapon earlier than he was killed. White Home Deputy Chief of Employees Stephen Miller described Pretti as a "would-be-assassin."

A number of bystander movies and witness testimony contradict that portrayal of the incident. Pretti will be seen holding solely a telephone in his hand earlier than no less than six officers deal with him, pinning him face down on the bottom and capturing him within the again, firing what feels like 10 pictures.

One eyewitness mentioned in a court docket doc that Pretti was not even going through brokers after they grabbed him. "It did not appear like he was making an attempt to withstand, simply making an attempt to assist [a] girl up," they wrote.

Noem has come underneath bipartisan scrutiny for her fast characterization of the incident.

In Washington, Democrats are pushing to dam funding for the Homeland Safety Division, and several other different companies, after the capturing and the administration's response. A number of Republicans, together with Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and John Curtis of Utah, additionally criticized Noem's speedy effort in charge Pretti, and others known as for an investigation.

The evaluation of Pretti's dying was performed by an inside Customs and Border Safety oversight workplace often known as the Workplace of Skilled Duty; it cautions that any data could also be up to date as extra particulars come to gentle.

Homeland Safety Investigations, a department of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is investigating the incident. It is also underneath evaluation by the Workplace of Skilled Duty's Investigative Operations Directorate, which investigates worker misconduct.