The Department of Homeland Security has denied claims that federal agents counted bullet holes in Alex Pretti’s body after he was killed in Minneapolis.
A licensed pediatrician who witnessed the 37-year-old’s death alleged in a sworn affidavit filed in federal court that the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents who shot him dead refused to administer aid at the scene.
The doctor – whose name has been redacted – said he saw four federal officers point their weapons at Pretti, before they fired at him ‘at least six or seven times,’ the court filing stated.
The witness rushed over to treat Pretti’s wounds, but was instead found the ICU nurse ‘on his side’, noting that is ‘not standard practice’ for a shooting victim.
‘Checking for a pulse and administering CPR is standard practice,’ the pediatrician’s testimony stated. ‘Instead of doing either of those things, the agents appeared to be counting his bullet wounds.’
The Daily Mail approached DHS about the disturbing allegations early Sunday morning but did not receive a response for more than 24 hours.
Now a spokesman has subtly denied the claims, saying: ‘Two Border Patrol agents, who are national certified emergency medical technicians, immediately delivered medical aid to the subject but he was pronounced dead at the scene.’
The response nearly mirrors a statement DHS gave the Mail after the shooting death of Renee Good, who was shot dead by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on January 7, less than a mile from where Pretti was killed.
Alex Pretti, 37, was shot dead by a Border Patrol agent during a targeted immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis early Saturday
Officers are seen kneeling next to Pretti just moments after he was shot dead on Saturday
Video captured in the immediate aftermath of Good’s killing showed bystanders, including one who claimed to be a physician, begging agents to let them check her vitals as she lay dead in the driver’s seat of her Honda Pilot.
Federal officials appeared to deny the pleading man’s request, telling him ‘no,’ to ‘back up, now’ and that ‘we have medics on scene.’
The clip quickly went viral and ICE was met with major backlash, but Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin dismissed the allegations and told the Daily Mail that her agents checked on Good and determined she was already dead.
‘Immediately following the incident, our ICE officers got medics and there was an ambulance on the scene. The individual was pronounced dead. There was no pulse, but that individual was immediately given aid,’ McLaughlin said at the time.
‘Any loss of life is an absolute tragedy. We do pray for the deceased and her family, and as well as for our officer and all affected in this situation.’
Minneapolis has become ground zero in the clash between President Donald Trump and growing numbers of Americans over his nationwide immigration crackdown.
Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul sued the DHS earlier this month, five days after Good was shot. The shooting of Pretti on Saturday has only added urgency to the case.
Federal officials have not named the agent who shot Pretti, but did confirm the officer is an eight-year Border Patrol veteran. He also had extensive training as a range safety officer and in using less-lethal force.
Renee Nicole Good was shot dead by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on January 7, less than a mile from where Pretti was killed. After her death, federal agents were accused of refusing the let a doctor render aid at the scene
Footage captured immediately after Renee Good was shot dead by ICE agent Jon Ross showed how federal authorities denied a physician bystander’s request to render aid at the scene
President Donald Trump has seemingly distanced himself from the shooting and is now deploying his border czar, Tom Homan, to Minneapolis.
Trump said Homan will ‘report directly to me’, in an apparent blow to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem after she lied about what the events that unfolded on Saturday.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also announced Monday that Homeland Security Investigations officers and the FBI would be interviewing the CBP agents who shot Pretti.
DHS published a statement just hours after the deadly shooting, claiming the CBP officer responsible was acting defensively as Pretti – whom officials said had come out to ‘impede a law enforcement operation’ – was armed when he was shot.
The agency released a photo showing a nine millimeter semi-automatic handgun officers said Pretti ‘approached’ with before a ‘violent’ struggle ensued.
However, video from the scene led officials, including Governor Tim Walz, to question the DHS narrative, as there did not appear to be any evidence of Pretti brandishing a gun.
But Noem insisted that Pretti ‘brandished’ a legally-owned handgun at officers trying to detain an illegal migrant.
The DHS boss then dodged questions about the shooting on Sunday, noting it would be investigated, but still reiterated that her agents ‘clearly feared for their lives and took action to defend themselves and the people around them.’
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem holds a news conference on the shooting death of Alex Pretti. The weapon she claimed he ‘brandished’ at agents is displayed on a screen
Noem also previously blamed two of Minnesota’s most senior Democrat lawmakers -Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey – for the shooting.
‘Our law enforcement are doing everything they can to protect the public. We’re praying for the deceased’s loved ones, family, and friends, but we also recognize that the Minnesota and the Minneapolis governor need to take a long hard look in the mirror,’ she said during a press conference on Saturday.
‘They need to evaluate their rhetoric, their conversations, and their encouragement of such violence against our citizens and law enforcement officers.’
Multiple bystander videos show a Border Patrol agent shooting and killing Pretti after a roughly 30-second scuffle around 9am Saturday.
The videos appear to contradict statements by DHS, which said the shots were fired ‘defensively’ against Pretti as he ‘approached’ them with a gun.
In the videos, Pretti is seen with only a phone in his hand. None of the footage appears to show him with a weapon.
During the scuffle, agents discovered that he was carrying a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, and they opened fire with several shots.
A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order banning the Trump administration from ‘destroying or altering evidence’ related to the death of Pretti.
It has not been confirmed whether Pretti’s gun fired any shots.