A physician who rushed to help Alex Pretti after federal agents shot him during an anti-ICE protest in Minneapolis has provided a devastating account of what happened in the critical minutes after the shooting — saying agents focused on documenting their gunshot wounds rather than trying to save the 26-year-old's life.
According to multiple witnesses and medical personnel at the scene, federal agents who had just shot Pretti multiple times made no attempt to administer CPR or other life-saving measures. Instead, witnesses report, the agents appeared to be counting and examining the bullet wounds they had inflicted on the ICU nurse who had come to the protest after finishing his shift at the Minneapolis VA hospital.
The doctor's account, first reported by local media, describes a chaotic scene where medical professionals and bystanders begged federal agents to provide emergency care or allow civilian medical personnel access to Pretti. Those requests were allegedly denied or ignored as agents secured the scene and examined the victim.
"They were counting bullet holes rather than administering CPR," one medical witness told reporters, describing the agonizing minutes as Pretti lay dying on a Minneapolis street. The account has intensified calls for a federal investigation into whether agents violated protocols for rendering aid to injured individuals, even those shot by law enforcement.
Standard law enforcement protocols across the country require officers to provide immediate medical assistance to anyone injured during an enforcement action, including suspects. The failure to administer CPR or call for immediate medical evacuation has raised questions about whether federal agents were following established guidelines or attempting to control evidence at a potential crime scene.
Pretti, who was a legal concealed carry permit holder, was shot after federal agents alleged he posed a threat. However, witnesses have disputed the official account, and a judge has since ordered the immediate release of evidence that federal authorities initially refused to provide to state investigators — leading Minnesota Senator Tina Smith to accuse the Trump administration of a "cover-up."
The doctor's testimony adds a crucial element to the investigation: even if federal agents believed their use of force was justified, their subsequent actions may have violated both law enforcement protocols and basic medical ethics. Experts in police use-of-force say that once a threat is neutralized, officers have both a legal and moral obligation to provide immediate medical care.
Medical professionals who have reviewed the available information say that immediate CPR might have given Pretti a chance at survival, depending on where the bullets struck and the extent of internal bleeding. Every minute without CPR dramatically reduces survival chances for gunshot victims, they note, making the agents' alleged decision to document wounds rather than provide care potentially fatal.
The revelation has added fuel to bipartisan calls for investigation. Republican Senator Bill Cassidy of Louisiana has demanded a "full joint federal and state investigation," noting that the "credibility of ICE and DHS are at stake." Even some pro-law enforcement Republicans have expressed concern about the tactics being employed in immigration enforcement operations.
As Americans like to say, "all politics is local"—even in the nation's capital. But the death of Alex Pretti has transcended partisan politics, with lawmakers from both parties questioning whether federal agents are following basic protocols designed to protect life and preserve constitutional rights.
The Department of Homeland Security has announced that body camera footage exists from the incident, though it has not yet been released publicly. That footage would presumably show whether agents attempted to render aid or focused on documenting the shooting scene. Civil liberties groups have called for immediate public release of all video evidence.
Pretti's family has retained legal counsel and is expected to file a wrongful death lawsuit against the federal government. The doctor's testimony about the failure to provide medical care will likely become a central element of that litigation, potentially exposing the government to significant liability beyond the shooting itself.
