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A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) report sent to Congress discloses that two federal officers discharged their guns during a fatal encounter with Alex Pretti in Minneapolis — a use of force that has ignited protest, legal scrutiny, and public debate about immigration enforcement tactics.
The case sits at the intersection of federal law enforcement authority, transparency expectations, and community trust — especially given conflicting public narratives and recorded footage showing aspects of the incident that differ from initial official statements. Understanding what the DHS report says — and doesn’t say — helps clarify both the facts on the ground and the broader implications.
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🧺 Ingredients — What This Story Includes
Core Facts (from Preliminary Government Reporting)
Two officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) reportedly fired their agency‑issued firearms during the encounter that killed Alex Pretti.
A notice sent to Congress described the incident as a struggle in which agents attempted to take Pretti into custody, and one yelled, “He’s got a gun!” shortly before shots were fired.
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The report does not confirm whether Pretti actively brandished his weapon before shots were fired, and DHS’s publicly released summaries do not allege that Pretti fired at officers.
One Border Patrol agent and one CBP officer each discharged their service weapons (Glock pistols) during the incident.
These elements form the factual base that anchors the broader discussion.
🔥 Step 1 — Understand the Federal Report to Congress
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In a preliminary report sent by DHS to Congress, Customs and Border Protection officials wrote that:
Agents tried to take Alex Pretti into custody.
According to the report, a struggle ensued when Pretti did not comply.
A Border Patrol agent shouted that Pretti had a gun multiple times.
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Approximately five seconds later, both a Border Patrol agent and a CBP officer fired their weapons.
The DHS notification is typically required under federal law for deaths involving federal law enforcement personnel, including CBP and Border Patrol. This is part of a reporting process to ensure Congressional oversight when deaths occur in custody or during federal law enforcement operations.
Importantly, the report does not explicitly say whether shots from both officers struck Pretti or how many rounds hit him.
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A longer news summary notes the report was prepared after reviewing body-camera footage and agency documentation, though not all footage has been publicly released.
🍃 Step 2 — Clarify What Was Publicly Reported vs. What Was in the Report
In the days immediately after the shooting, DHS issued public statements framing the event in a particular way, with language suggesting Pretti was armed and threatening. However, the internal report sent to Congress does not include the claim that Pretti brandished his weapon before the shooting and does not describe him firing his gun at agents.
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This discrepancy between initial public statements and the internal report — and what bystander video footage shows — has contributed to confusion and heightened scrutiny.
According to independent analyses of video footage:
Pretti was seen holding a cellphone and filming officers before being physically forced to the ground, not pointing a firearm at officers in the moments leading up to the shooting.
Some footage suggests an agent removed a weapon from Pretti’s waistband immediately before shots were fired, though it remains unclear when exactly officers recognized the presence of a weapon.
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These differences between official narrative, the internal report summary, and video evidence are central to public debate about the shooting.
🍂 Step 3 — Who Were the Officers? Identity Controversy
