Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said that the ICU nurse was believed to be a lawful gun owner, with a permit to carry.
However, there is no evidence that Pretti had any intent on harming federal officers when he took to the streets of Minneapolis this weekend – something his family have said themselves.
And now, a witness who was there at the scene has described exactly what they saw.
The witness, described only as a physician, wrote in court documents that they didn’t see the 37-year-old ever brandish a weapon at agents.
The witness statement, which has been filed in the federal court, contradicts the communications being said by the DHS.
“I saw him yelling at the ICE agents, but I did not see him attack the agents or brandish a weapon of any kind,” the witness said of Pretti.
“Suddenly, an ICE agent shoved him to the ground. My view of the altercation was partially obstructed, but after a few seconds, I saw at least four ICE agents point guns at the man. I then saw the agents shoot the man at least six or seven times.”
The witness then said they attempted to treat Pretti’s injuries, without the help of the agents, who were instead counting the man’s ‘bullet wounds’.
“I was confused as to why the victim was on his side, because that is not standard practice,” the health expert added.
“Checking for a pulse and administering CPR is standard practice. Instead of doing either of those things, the ICE agents appeared to be counting his bullet wounds.”
UNILAD has reached out to the DHS for comment.
This comes after Pretti’s family pleaded for others to ‘help get the truth out about our son’, amid claims by Border Control that Pretti was trying to ‘massacre law enforcement’.
“He cared about people deeply and he was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis and throughout the United States with ICE, as millions of other people are upset,” Michael Pretti, his father, said of his son.