CNN Fact-Checks Trump Administration’s Claims on Alex Pretti Shooting

CNN Fact-Checker Challenges Trump Administration’s Claims on Fatal ICE Shooting

CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale has published a detailed analysis exposing multiple inaccuracies in the Trump administration’s statements regarding the death of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Veterans Affairs nurse who was fatally shot by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis.

The shooting, which occurred Saturday during an altercation between Pretti and federal agents, has sparked nationwide controversy as contradictions emerge between official narratives and available video evidence. Dale’s report methodically dismantles several claims made by high-ranking administration officials.

According to Dale’s investigation, numerous White House officials, including key Department of Homeland Security leaders, have justified the shooting by emphasizing that Pretti was armed with a handgun. They’ve suggested he intended to “massacre” the agents, claiming they fired in self-defense after he threatened them with the weapon.

However, video footage of the incident tells a different story. The recordings show that Pretti’s legally-carried handgun remained in his waistband throughout the confrontation until agents removed it during the struggle. The shooting began only after Pretti had been disarmed.

Dale’s report highlights how Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem’s statements evolved as more evidence came to light. On Saturday, Noem directly accused Pretti of “attacking” law enforcement officers. By Sunday morning, her language had softened considerably, with Noem telling Fox News that Pretti was merely “laying hands on law enforcement” – a notable shift in rhetoric that suggests the administration was recalibrating its position.

The CNN fact-checker also challenges the administration’s repeated claims that Pretti “brandished” his weapon before being shot. Video evidence contradicts this assertion, showing Pretti holding only his phone in one hand as he recorded the agents, with his other hand empty. His firearm remained secured in his waistband until agents removed it after tackling him to the ground.

When pressed about these inconsistencies in Sunday interviews, top administration officials appeared reluctant to defend their earlier statements. FBI Director Kash Patel avoided directly addressing questions about how Pretti could have threatened agents with a gun when video showed him holding only a phone. Instead, Patel deferred to “DHS and prosecutors,” noting they were handling the investigation.

Similarly, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche declined to confirm whether Pretti had brandished a weapon, telling NBC there was “obviously an investigation that’s ongoing.”

The shooting has raised serious questions about the use of deadly force by federal law enforcement and the accuracy of official accounts. Pretti’s family has vocally condemned what they call the administration’s “sickening lies” about their loved one, describing the official statements as “reprehensible and disgusting.”

The case comes amid heightened tensions over immigration enforcement tactics under the Trump administration, which has made aggressive border security and interior enforcement central to its policy agenda. Critics have pointed to the incident as evidence of overreach by federal agents, while supporters maintain that law enforcement officers face dangerous situations that require split-second decisions.

As investigations continue, Dale’s fact-check serves as a reminder of the importance of scrutinizing official narratives, particularly in cases involving fatal use of force by government agents. The discrepancies highlighted in the report underscore growing concerns about accountability and transparency in federal law enforcement operations.

The Department of Homeland Security has yet to release a formal, comprehensive account of the incident that addresses the contradictions between their statements and the video evidence that has emerged.