What Happened That Morning
Minneapolis erupted after a Department of Homeland Security operation ended with an armed man shot dead by a federal agent. Officials say 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti approached Border Patrol officers while armed with a Sig Sauer P320 pistol and two extra magazines. Witnesses and video show officers trying to control a tense scene that quickly drew a crowd. Predictably, outrage followed and the crowd pressed in on federal vehicles, forcing agents to respond with crowd-control measures.
The Flashbang Pick-Up Moment
Video posted to X captured a protester picking up a flashbang and trying to throw it back at agents, only to immediately regret that decision. The device exploded or detonated in close proximity and the person collapsed, with others shouting for a medic. It is a vivid reminder that these devices are designed to disorient and can seriously injure a person who handles them. If you think picking up unexploded munitions makes you heroic, the clip makes a pretty strong argument otherwise.
https://x.com/KimKatieUSA/status/2015801256795885712?s=20
Was the Shooting Justified
The DHS is investigating whether Pretti’s gun discharged accidentally and whether that single shot prompted agents to use lethal force. Agency statements say the operation targeted an individual wanted for violent assault, and that officers encountered an armed person who did not announce he was armed. Agents were reportedly wearing bodycams, and footage circulating online appears to show the pistol firing, which could explain why agents perceived an immediate threat.
At 9:05 AM CT, as DHS law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted operation in Minneapolis against an illegal alien wanted for violent assault, an individual approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, seen here.
The officers attempted to… pic.twitter.com/5Y50mYONGH
— Homeland Security (@DHSgov) January 24, 2026
Questions Still Unanswered
There are still important facts to sort out. Was the firearm fired on purpose or by accident. Did procedures break down during the approach. And why did a crowd amass so quickly that agents had to deploy smoke, tear gas and flashbangs. The videos help, but they do not replace a full, transparent investigation. Americans deserve answers and calm, not chaos and speculation.
It was the sig going off that spooked the ICE men. pic.twitter.com/JMqU9OOQYA
— meme bastard 💚 (@mask_bastard) January 25, 2026
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JIMMY
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