An analysis of videos of the killing of Alex Pretti by border guards in Minneapolis contradicts the authorities' claims that he intended to kill the officers, writes the New York Times. The victim was labeled a terrorist by several representatives of Donald Trump's administration.
As the daily writes, available verified recordings of the incident show that, contrary to the claims of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), 37-year-old Pretti did not approach the officers with a drawn gun, but with a telephone. The recordings indicate that the man was knocked to the ground when he tried to help a demonstrator who was sprayed with pepper spray by the services.
Who was shot by ICE agents?
Where did the incident occur?
What are the Department of Homeland Security's claims?
Has the governor of Minnesota commented on the incident?
During the struggle, one of several border guard officers shouted that Pretti had a firearm. Video analysis shows that a moment later, one of them pulled the man's gun from the holster on his belt, and only a moment later another officer fired a shot in the back of the kneeling and struggling man at close range. After Pretti fell to the ground, more shots were fired, 10 in total.
DHS accuses 'act of terrorism'
Despite widely shared videos, DHS officials, including the department's chief of staff, Kristi Noem, claimed on Friday that Pretti had committed an “act of terrorism.” Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino suggested that the victim – a nurse by profession – intended to massacre the officers. A top adviser to President Donald Trump called him a terrorist and a “would-be assassin.”
“It looks like a situation where the person wanted to do maximum damage and massacre the services,” Bovino said, pointing to the fact that the gun Pretti was carrying was loaded and he had two magazines with him.
Minnesota's governor reacts
Assistant Attorney General Bill Essayli commented on the incident, saying that “if you approach officers with a gun, there is a strong likelihood that they will have the right to shoot at you.” The comment drew condemnation from the gun rights group Gun Owners of America.
Democrats reacted differently to the incident, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, who called the images from the recordings “disgusting” and noted that the state, not the federal, judiciary must investigate the case because federal authorities “cannot be trusted to conduct this investigation.” A federal investigation into the first such incident, in which Renee Good died at the hands of an ICE officer, was not opened, and the prosecutor who tried to bring about it was fired. State law enforcement agencies were also not allowed to participate in the investigation.
