In a high-profile television interview, **CNN anchor Dana Bash pressed U.S. Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino for specific evidence explaining the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti, who was killed by federal agents last weekend.
Pretti, an intensive-care nurse and U.S. citizen, was shot multiple times by Border Patrol officers in Minneapolis on January 24 during an operation targeting an undocumented immigrant. Video footage circulating on social media showed Pretti filming federal agents with his cell phone and attempting to assist others during the encounter.
During Sunday’s interview on CNN’s State of the Union, Bash repeatedly asked Bovino to clarify what evidence federal authorities have that Pretti posed a direct threat or was trying to impede law enforcement before he was shot. Bovino defended the agents’ actions and repeatedly characterized the agents as the “victims” of the encounter, saying Pretti “put himself in that situation.” He did not provide new public evidence to substantiate claims that Pretti threatened officers.
Bovino acknowledged that Pretti had brought a handgun to the scene—a legal firearm for which he had a permit—but suggested that Pretti’s presence at an active law enforcement operation was justification for the response. Bash asked whether there was any evidence that Pretti ever drew or threatened to use the weapon, a point Bovino declined to confirm on air, saying details would emerge through ongoing investigations.
The incident has become a flashpoint for national debate. Minnesota officials and civil rights advocates have called for a full, transparent investigation into the shooting, citing video that appears to show Pretti holding only a phone when officers first engaged him. A federal judge in St. Paul has also ordered the Department of Homeland Security to preserve all evidence related to the incident amid legal challenges seeking independent review.
The controversy comes amid heightened scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis, where recent shootings by Border Patrol and ICE agents have sparked protests and intensified discussions about law enforcement use of force.
