"[A]t 11:10 a.m., DHS launched its public-relations campaign, telling reporters on "background," without naming a particular official, that the "suspect had a firearm with two magazines - situation evolving." The agency then shared a photo of a handgun, which it said was taken from the victim, sitting on a car seat. The implication from DHS was that Pretti had been a threat to federal agents."
"At 12:31 p.m., DHS publishes its statement and the photo of the gun on social media. It alleges that a suspect "approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun" and the "officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted." Then, "fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots" and killed him. "The suspect also had 2 magazines and no ID - this looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement,"
Alex Pretti was shot by U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on a public street in South Minneapolis; the entire altercation lasted less than a minute and ended with two agents firing ten shots. Pretti had been filming the agents with his phone moments before the shooting. The Department of Homeland Security told Fox News that the suspect was armed and shared a photo of a handgun, while social media videos began circulating that appeared to show an agent disarming Pretti before shots were fired. DHS then communicated to reporters that the suspect had a firearm with two magazines and later posted a statement alleging the suspect approached Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, resisted disarmament, and prompted an agent to fire defensive shots; DHS suggested the suspect intended to do maximum damage to law enforcement.
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