Witness affidavits counter DHS claim that Pretti had a gun
(NewsNation) — Two sworn witness affidavits claim they did not see Alex Pretti holding a gun when he was fatally shot by border patrol agents in Minneapolis on Saturday.
The two affidavits were among five statements that were entered into federal court as part of a Dec. 17 case against officials with the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement on Saturday.
In one of the affidavits, a children’s entertainer who lived in the area described hearing whistles outside that signaled ICE agents were in the area. They said they drove to the intersection where the sound was coming from and began recording alongside a man who was also recording and directing traffic.
Judge blocks Trump admin from altering, destroying evidence in Minneapolis shooting
The witness said they moved slowly onto the sidewalk when directed to move back by federal agents. They note that the man remained in the street filming, as ICE agents threatened him and other observers with pepper spray.
“I didn’t see him reach for or hold a gun,” the statement reads.
According to the affidavit, the man at one point tried to help a woman up who had been pushed down by ICE agents before being hit with pepper spray.
“The agents pulled the man on the ground. I didn’t see him touch any of them-he wasn’t even turned toward them. It didn’t look like he was trying to resist, just trying to help the woman up. I didn’t see him with a gun,” the statement reads. “They threw him to the ground. Four or five agents had him on the ground, and they just started shooting him. They shot him so many times.”
Who was Alex Pretti, the 37-year-old man fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis?
In another affidavit, a 29-year-old resident said they were awoken to cars honking and whistles blowing outside, where several ICE agents and civilians were yelling at each other.
“One civilian was standing in front of a parked car on the side of the road. I saw him yelling at the ICE agents, but I did not see him attack the agents or brandish a weapon of any kind,” the statement reads.
The 29-year-old said an ICE agent shoved the man to the ground.
“My view of the altercation was partially obstructed, but after a few seconds, I saw at least four ICE agents point guns at the man. I then saw the agents shoot the man at least six or seven times,” the statement reads.
Trump invoking Insurrection Act in Minneapolis would be ‘huge shift’: Analyst
The affidavits come as several witness videos have emerged, calling into question the narrative from the federal government. Federal authorities say Pretti had a firearm on him when he scuffled with federal agents, but have not said whether Pretti brandished the weapon during his encounter with immigration authorities. They characterized him as someone who was looking to harm officers during an enforcement operation.
Both of the affidavits above, along with a third, highlight growing outrage over the immigration enforcement activities in the city.
“I will continue to show up for my community, even though I’m terrified that I or someone I love will be arrested, injured, or killed,” a third affidavit read.
News
You are nothing but an illiterate servant. Do not speak to me until you learn to read proper English.”
You are nothing but an illiterate servant. Do not speak to me until you learn to read proper English.” The silence that followed was not merely a pause in conversation but a vacuum that seemed to draw the air from the most expensive dining room in Manhattan. Forks froze midair. A waiter 3 tables away […]
“This is today’s last batch, Mr. Huxley.”
“This is today’s last batch, Mr. Huxley.” Chloe Johnson stood beside her grandmother as a line of carefully selected women waited to be inspected like merchandise. Her grandmother’s eyes narrowed with practiced impatience, unimpressed by the parade. Chloe tried to keep the mood light, coaxing her to choose someone—anyone—so she could finally stop hearing complaints […]
I Need A Mother For My Sons And You Need Shelter —The Rich Cowboy Proposed To The Poor Teacher
The wind came howling across the Montana plains like the devil himself was chasing it, carrying snowflakes sharp as broken glass. Elellanor Hayes pulled her thin woolen shawl tighter around her shoulders and pressed her back against the rough bark of a cottonwood tree, but the cold bit through her worn dress just the same. […]
He was
They called me defective during toteminovida and by age 19, after three doctors examined my frail body and pronounced their verdict, I started to believe them. My name is Thomas Bowmont Callahan. I’m 19 years old and my body has always been a betrayal—a collection of failures written in bone and muscle that never properly […]
A Baby in 1896 Holds a Toy — But Look Closely at His Fingers
On a cool autumn afternoon, she found herself wandering through the narrow aisles of Riverside Antiques in Salem, Oregon. The sharp smelled of aged wood, old paper, and forgotten memories. Dust floated gently through thin beams of light that slipped in through the tall front windows. Shelves were crowded with porcelain dolls, tarnished silverware, faded […]
My stepmother forced me to marry a young, wealthy but disabled teacher
The rain did not fall in Monterrey; it hammered, a relentless rhythmic assault against the stained-glass windows of the Basilica del Roble. Inside, the air smelled of stale incense and the suffocating sweetness of a thousand white lilies, a scent Isabella Martínez would forever associate with the death of her freedom. She stood at the […]
End of content
No more pages to load
