1. United States
2. Pa.
3. Letter

I am writing to demand accountability for the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, by Border Patrol officers in Minneapolis and the subsequent false narrative promoted by the Trump administration, Secretary Kristi Noem, and the Department of Homeland Security. This incident represents a dangerous erosion of truth and proper law enforcement standards that requires immediate consequences. Border Patrol senior official Greg Bovino initially claimed Pretti intended to "massacre law enforcement" and approached officers with a firearm. Deputy White House chief of staff Stephen Miller and federal prosecutor Bill Essayli called Pretti "a would-be assassin." However, bystander videos analyzed by use-of-force experts directly contradict these claims. The footage shows Pretti holding only a cellphone, not brandishing a gun. While an officer appears to pull a handgun from Pretti's waist area, the first shot was fired as the officer moved away, followed by several more shots into Pretti's back. Pretti had a valid permit to carry a concealed handgun. The Department of Homeland Security, under Secretary Noem's leadership, posted a photo of Pretti's weapon on social media before his parents were notified, claiming he had "2 magazines and no ID" and "wanted to do maximum damage." The photo showed only one loaded magazine. Minnesota officials said Border Patrol officers likely mishandled key evidence by removing the weapon from the scene. Secretary Noem has failed to correct these false statements or hold her department accountable for spreading misinformation. Federal officials have blocked Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans and his team from accessing the shooting scene despite a search warrant and emergency court order. The federal government has prevented a civil rights inquiry by the U.S. Justice Department and obstructed Minnesota authorities from conducting their own review. Use-of-force expert Seth Stoughton, who testified in the George Floyd murder trial, stated that "in a country that has more guns than people, the mere possession of a weapon does not establish an imminent threat to officers." Ian Adams, an assistant professor of criminal justice, called the federal response "amateur hour." According to Stoughton, there is "nothing but professional scorn for the way that DHS is handling the aftermath of these incidents." I urge you to demand a full independent investigation, release of all video evidence including footage from Pretti's phone, and consequences for Trump administration officials, Secretary Noem, and DHS personnel who misrepresented the facts to the American public.