Minneapolis man says he was detained for hours after witnessing Alex Pretti shooting
New affidavits filed in court detail how witnesses were arrested immediately after the shooting of Alex Pretti.
One of those witnesses, who asked to be called Javier for safety reasons, said he was among dozens of what he overheard agents referring to as "USCs" — United States citizens in custody.
"I'm not going to be intimidated by them," Javier asserted to WCCO News. "My father always told me never to be scared of a person that believes as much as you do. Everybody in this world believes as much as I do, and that's my sense of security right now."
He lives a few blocks from where Saturday's shooting took place at 26th and Nicollet; he recalled arriving at the scene after neighbors alerted him to an ongoing raid by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
"At that point in time, it's not about me," he said. "It's about the cause — our people being protected. It's about these people coming here to better their lives."
Pretti, 37, an ICU nurse who worked at the Minneapolis VA hospital, was identified as the man killed by a Border Patrol agent on the south side of Minneapolis Saturday morning.
The Department of Homeland Security said the agent acted in self-defense after attempting to disarm Pretti, but Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said that account was "nonsense" after reviewing videos of the shooting.
Saturday's incident happened less than three weeks after an ICE agent fatally shot Renee Good and amid an ongoing surge in immigration enforcement action across the city.
"I watched the agent shoot him," Javier said. "Whether I knew him or not, he died for the cause."
After the shooting, Javier said agents turned on him and others in the vicinity. They were taken to the Whipple Building and held for several hours.
"It's just cold all around, bro," Javier said. "It just sucks the life out of you. You lose all hope."
Federal court records show no formal charges have been filed against Javier. He said he was held here first by himself, then with almost two dozen others from the scene. They were given water, food and medical attention before being released.