Two border patrol agents involved in the fatal shooting of VA ICU nurse Alex Pretti have been placed on leave, days after the shocking incident.
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According to NBC News, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin confirmed that the agents on administrative leave had fired their guns during the shooting.
A preliminary report by the Department of Homeland Security detailed Alex Pretti’s death. The report revealed that the two officers had fired their weapons during the Jan. 24 struggle. It was noted that during the incident, a border agent yelled, “He’s got a gun!” multiple times.
“Approximately five seconds later, a [Border Patrol agent] discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19,” the report reads. “And a [Customs and Border Protection officer] also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti.”
However, it was unclear how many bullets from the border agents’ guns hit Alex Perri. The report also did not state that Perri had attacked officers or brandished his weapon, despite Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem previously claiming he threatened the agents with his weapon.
Following the shooting, videos were released showing Alex Pretti holding his phone while speaking to one of the border agents on a street in Minneapolis. Things took a turn when the border agent began pepper-spraying Pretti and two women while pushing them out of the street.
As Pretti attempted to check on one of the pepper-sprayed weapons, a border agent grabbed and wrestled him to the ground. Several other agents jumped into the scuffle with video showing them hitting Prettti repeatedly before he was shot.
Videos also showed one border agent taking Pretti’s gun from its holster and running off with it seconds before shots rang out.
Pretti was pronounced dead at the scene. A federal judge ordered the Trump administration to refrain from “destroying or altering evidence.”
Border Agents Were Conducting ‘Enforcement Actions’ When Alex Pretti Was Shot
The report further revealed that border agents were conducting “enforcement actions” when Alex Pretti was shot.
NBC News reported the immigration operation in Minneapolis includes approximately 3,0000 agents. The operation was done as part of President Trump’s heavily criticized immigration crackdown.
The presence of protesters significantly increased after an ICE agent shot Minneapolis resident Renee Good on Jan. 7. She was behind the wheel of her vehicle.
The Trump administration has backed the ICE agent, claiming that Good had attempted to run the agent over.
Along with Renee Good and Alex Pretti, another person was shot by a federal agent during the Minneapolis sweep. The other person, who has not been identified, was shot in the leg. They survived the encounter.