January 26, 2026 — what really went down—and why saying “if only the governor or mayor…” doesn’t change what happened
Let’s get this straight right now…what happened with Alex Pretti in Minneapolis was not justified and if your argument is that “well the governor could’ve done something…” or “the mayor should’ve…” — no no no no no no no no.
Here’s what I know:
Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. citizen, was shot and killed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent during a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis. The whole incident happened in a matter of minutes. Pretti was not committing a crime, he was observing, filming, and helping others. He was assisting a woman who had been pushed down by agents when he was pulled into the encounter himself. (I can’t believe that the agent pushed that woman to the ground – why did he do such a thing but that’s a different subject…sort of.)
And here’s the piece that matters most – video footage from multiple angles doesn’t show Alex attacking anyone. He’s seen holding a phone, not a weapon, and leaning in to help the woman and then suddenly you see the confrontation escalate with agents tackling him, spraying him, and ultimately shooting him. The agents attack him!
So if you’re out here trying to justify this by pointing fingers at governors, mayors, or policies…no no no no no no no no. What happened in those moments was between federal agents and a human being who was trying to help.
Stop Trying to Blame the Politics – Focus on the Act!!! The act that occurred in those few minutes from the time Pretti was seen filming and directing traffic to his final breath.
No matter who sent those agents, or why, the people on the ground that day were the agents themselves. They are supposed to be professionals, trained to handle tense moments. From the footage and witness statements available… they failed. Spectacularly. Miserably. Horribly.
Alex didn’t lash out. He didn’t charge at anyone. He didn’t hurt an agent. He turned his back helping another person. And still was tackled, wrestled to the ground, beaten…and shot…and shot…and shot…and shot…shot…shot…shot…shot…shot…and shot.
So the argument that this was because someone “didn’t manage the city right” or “officials didn’t issue a warning” is ridiculous. What matters is the moment those federal agents were face-to-face with Alex and what they chose to do.
What makes this even worse is how officials responded afterward. Instead of stepping back and saying, “We need to review this thoroughly, transparently, and respectfully,” some federal spokespeople and allies have been out there disparaging Alex’s character and calling him a threat. Repeating what I said yesterday, Kristie Noem should resign. Bovino should be fired.
That’s not investigation – it’s a smear campaign and deflection.
Making up excuses after the fact, whether about politics, blame, “if onlys,” or character attacks, won’t bring Alex back. Won’t help his family. It won’t make this country safer. It just tries to rewrite what eyewitness video and testimony show actually happened.
So…You want to take a side? Here’s the bottom line
If you’re on the side of trying to justify this shooting, with excuses big or small, you’re on the wrong side. Plain and simple.
Alex wasn’t there to commit violence. He wasn’t there to escalate. He was there to observe, to help…the very things people are supposed to be able to do in a democracy.
So no. No no no no no no no no.
That’s all I have for today.
MattMunnell.com 