The Department of Homeland Security is investigating whether an errant shot from Alex Pretti’s handgun — after it was taken off of him — caused Border Patrol agents to think they were being fired on, The Post has learned.
As a result of the accidental discharge, which happened while the gun was in a Border agent’s hand, other officers may have believed their lives were in danger — resulting in the split-second decision to open fire on Pretti, killing him, multiple sources familiar with the investigation said.
The explanation is a shift from initial claims by DHS officials, who at first said Pretti was brandishing the Sig Sauer P320 pistol, which he was legally allowed to carry.
“It was 100% an accidental discharge by the agent that relieved that person of their weapon. Because everyone’s guns were out, they think that there’s a shooting,” one source said.
Additional sources confirmed that this is the explanation for the shooting that DHS is investigating.
Border Patrol officers in Minneapolis were wrestling Pretti to the ground in Minneapolis Saturday after he turned out for an impromptu anti-ICE protest.
Pretti has put himself between the federal agents and a woman who was being pepper sprayed, video from the scene shows.
An analysis of the bystander footage indicates that one shot appeared to come from Pretti’s gun after a Border Agent grabbed it from his waistband and was walking away with it.
That shot resulted in other agents — at least one of whom had drawn his weapon at that point — to open fire about 10 times.
Follow The Post’s coverage of the shooting of a 37-year-old anti-ICE protester in Minneapolis
- Alex Pretti’s Sig handgun has history of accidentally firing — offering possible clue to why Border agent shot him
- Who is Alex Jeffrey Pretti, the anti-ICE protester fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis?
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Sources familiar with the investigation said the agents involved were overworked and not trained to deal with protesters — or the types of confrontations that are regularly happening with ICE Watch protesters in Minneapolis.
“None of those agents should’ve had their gun out. It’s a confluence of them being asked to do enforcement work that they are not trained for,” a source said.
“All of this is avoidable. None of this should be happening.”
The source also warned of the threat to morale of the DHS officers, who are now having to act both as immigration officials and local police.
“There are very mixed feelings internally about what’s going on, and they do not want to, nor are they prepared to do both protest, enforcement, and management, plus street-level enforcement like this,” the source said.
It comes as President Trump sent Border Czar Tom Homan to Minnesota amid ongoing violent clashes between ICE officers and protesters.
So far, the administration is sticking by Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino, who is increasingly under fire from Dems over his handling of operations in Minneapolis and claims about Pretti after the shooting.
“Homan is simply going there to assess what is going on. It does not indicate one way or another lack of confidence in [DHS Secretary Kristi Noem] or Bovino. They love Bovino,” the source added.
This is a breaking story. Please check back for updates.
