Newly surfaced footage has cast fresh light on the final days of Alex Pretti, the 37-year-old ICU nurse who would be shot dead less than two weeks later.
The clip, filmed 11 days before his death, shows Pretti in a heated standoff with ICE agents, taunting them as they prepared to leave the scene.
The timing has intensified emotions.
The video emerged just hours after Pretti’s family confirmed he was the man seen spitting at an ICE vehicle and damaging its tail light in the same recording.
Taunts, Shouts, and a Confrontation on the Street
In the footage, Pretti can be heard hurling profanities at the agents as they retreat to their SUVs.
He mocks them for carrying pepper spray, calling one agent a “pepper spray b****” and shouting insults about their life choices.
At one point, as the agents pull away, Pretti dares them to use force, yelling, “Soak me,” before a loud crash rings out.
The damaged tail light on the SUV becomes visible as it turns away.
Chaos Erupts as Agents Rush Back In
The moment doesn’t end there. One agent suddenly jumps out of a vehicle as Pretti raises his middle finger and shouts again.
Within seconds, multiple agents swarm him, forcing him to the ground as screams from bystanders cut through the scene.
In the background, tear gas and pepper balls are fired into the crowd.
Moments later, the agents release Pretti, allowing him to collect items that fell during the struggle and walk away.
He appears to have a gun in his waistband, similar to the one he legally carried on the day he was killed.
A Familiar Face in the Crowd
The first clip posted earlier this week showed Pretti losing his hat during the scuffle.
Observers quickly noticed his receding hairline matched footage from January 24 — the day he was fatally shot by Border Patrol officers.
That connection helped confirm what many already suspected: this wasn’t an isolated encounter, but part of a pattern of escalating confrontations.
The Man Behind the Camera Speaks Out
The Daily Mail spoke with Max Shapiro, a Minneapolis tax attorney who filmed the original clip.
Shapiro said he was alerted through a Signal group chat made up of parents whose children attend a nearby daycare.
Parents in the group routinely share updates about ICE activity in the area.
After dropping off his son, Shapiro heard agents had appeared just a block away and decided to observe.
“I arrived right as Mr Pretti was being confronted,” he said. “I’d never met him before.”
From Calm Observation to Sudden Violence
Shapiro described the scene as largely calm at first.
About 15 people were present, watching as agents prepared to leave.
That changed when Pretti kicked the SUV’s tail light.
Up until that moment, Shapiro said, the interaction hadn’t felt particularly hostile.
“Things shifted when they didn’t leave and the situation escalated,” he explained.
Screams, Whistles, and Confusion
As the confrontation intensified, bystanders shouted and screamed.
Officers attempted to issue commands, but Shapiro said their voices were overwhelmed by whistles and yelling from the crowd.
He added that it was unclear whether agents would have remembered Pretti from that day when they encountered him again nearly two weeks later.
A City on Edge Over ICE Activity
According to Shapiro, ICE activity in Minneapolis has become so frequent that many residents have similar videos on their phones.
“This isn’t a one-off,” he said. “People are observing and recording something like this almost every day.”
Despite not wanting to witness such scenes, Shapiro believes documenting these encounters is essential.
“People need to understand what’s happening,” he said.
How Pretti Was Identified
Pretti’s presence in the footage was confirmed using BBC facial recognition software.
The identification was published through a joint investigation by the BBC and The News Movement.
Reporter Dan Ming, who was covering protests in Minneapolis, can be seen at the start of the clip and confirmed his presence to the Daily Mail.
Legal Support and a Strong Response From the Family
Pretti’s family is being represented pro bono by Steve Schleicher, the former federal prosecutor known for securing Derek Chauvin’s conviction in the George Floyd case.
Schleicher said the video shows Pretti being violently assaulted by ICE agents just a week before his death.
He stressed that nothing in the footage could justify what happened on January 24.
Federal Authorities Respond
The Department of Homeland Security has confirmed it is investigating the newly released footage.
Pretti was shot ten times by DHS officers in broad daylight.
Authorities say his legally owned firearm was removed from its holster before he was killed by an unnamed agent.
Injuries, Unanswered Questions, and No Arrest
It was revealed earlier this week that Pretti suffered a broken rib during an earlier altercation with federal officers.
It remains unclear whether the injury occurred during the incident shown in the new footage.
Despite damaging federal property, Pretti was not arrested that day.
A Death That Sparked National Outrage
Pretti’s killing came just weeks after another fatal ICE shooting, the death of Renee Nicole Good on January 7.
Together, the incidents ignited protests and fierce criticism nationwide.
Pressure has mounted on the Trump administration from both sides of the political spectrum to reconsider the aggressive immigration crackdown.
Agents Placed on Leave
Two Border Patrol agents involved in Pretti’s shooting have now been placed on administrative leave.
Sources say they are receiving mental health support and have been temporarily reassigned to desk duties.
The ICE officer who shot Good was also placed on leave, and President Trump has called for a full investigation into Pretti’s death.
Shifting Narratives and New Findings
Initially, officials described Pretti as a “domestic terrorist,” citing the firearm he carried.
A new government report, however, has cast doubt on claims that he ever brandished the weapon.
The report says there is no evidence Pretti removed the gun from his hip, even after an officer shouted “gun” during the encounter.
Footage Raises More Questions
Video circulating online appears to show an agent disarming Pretti moments before he was shot multiple times in the back.
Public opinion has swung sharply. A Daily Mail/JL Partners poll found that 54 percent of Americans believe Pretti was murdered by federal law enforcement.
Even among Republicans, 22 percent agreed the killing constituted murder.
Just 21 percent of respondents said the shooting was justified.
What’s Next?
Investigations are ongoing, agents remain sidelined, and protests show no sign of slowing.
As more footage emerges and official narratives are scrutinized, the case of Alex Pretti continues to fuel a national reckoning over federal policing, accountability, and the human cost of enforcement in America’s streets.
Share on Facebook «||» Share on Twitter «||» Share on Reddit «||» Share on LinkedIn