• Trump calls Alex Pretti “agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist” in early Friday Truth Social post
• Remarks follow release of video showing Pretti confronting ICE agents 11 days before fatal shooting
• Justice Department opens civil rights investigation into January 24 killing

WASHINGTON, D.C. (TDR) — President Donald Trump escalated his attacks on Alex Pretti early Friday, branding the 37-year-old intensive care nurse shot dead by Border Patrol agents as an “agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist,” reversing his stated desire to “de-escalate” tensions in Minnesota just days earlier.

The remarks, posted on Truth Social at 1:26 a.m., came after video footage emerged this week showing Pretti in a confrontation with federal immigration agents on January 13—11 days before he was fatally shot during a separate encounter in Minneapolis.

“Agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist, Alex Pretti’s stock has gone way down with the just released video of him screaming and spitting in the face of a very calm and under control ICE Officer, and then crazily kicking in a new and very expensive government vehicle, so hard and violent, in fact, that the taillight broke off in pieces,” Trump wrote.

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The president’s inflammatory characterization marks a sharp reversal from his comments earlier this week when he called Pretti’s death a “very unfortunate incident” and pledged to “de-escalate a little bit” in Minnesota, where protests have intensified following two fatal shootings of U.S. citizens by federal agents this month.

Video Shows January 13 Confrontation

The video footage, recorded by The News Movement and verified by BBC News using facial recognition technology showing a 97% match, depicts Pretti confronting federal immigration agents conducting operations in south Minneapolis on January 13.

In the footage, Pretti is seen shouting expletives at agents, spitting on a government SUV, and kicking out the vehicle’s passenger-side taillight. Multiple agents then exit the vehicle and tackle Pretti to the ground, deploying chemical irritants as onlookers scatter. The man is released moments later, and agents depart the scene.

A second video published by the Minnesota Star Tribune shows a different angle of the same incident. Pretti’s family confirmed to the outlet that he was the man seen in both clips.

“When he turns his back to the camera, what appears to be a handgun is visible in his waistband,” witnesses reported. “At no point do the videos show Pretti reaching for the gun and it is unclear whether the federal agents saw it.”

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CNN reported earlier this week that Pretti broke a rib during the January 13 altercation, though the Department of Homeland Security told the network it had “no record of this incident.”

Family Attorney Condemns Trump’s Characterization

Steve Schleicher, an attorney representing Pretti’s family, issued a statement strongly rejecting any suggestion that the January 13 encounter justified the fatal shooting 11 days later.

“A week before Alex was gunned down in the street—despite posing no threat to anyone—he was violently assaulted by a group of ICE agents,” Schleicher said. “Nothing that happened a full week before could possibly have justified Alex’s killing at the hands of ICE on Jan 24.”

The family attorney emphasized that their focus remains on “a fair and impartial investigation that examines the facts around his murder.”

Pretti’s family had previously condemned administration officials for what they called “sickening lies” about their loved one, whom they described as a “kindhearted soul,” “good man,” and “hero.” Pretti worked as an intensive care nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs hospital and held a legal permit to carry a concealed weapon.

Justice Department Opens Civil Rights Investigation

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced Friday that the Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights investigation into Pretti’s death, marking a significant development in the case that has sparked nationwide protests and calls for accountability.

“This is what I would describe as a standard investigation by FBI with our circumstances like what we saw last Saturday,” Blanche said at a press conference Friday. “To the extent it needs to involve lawyers of the Civil Rights Division, that will involve those.”

Blanche acknowledged he does not know the whereabouts of Pretti’s phone or the gun he had on him before his death, adding that investigators are “looking at everything that would shed light on what happened that day and in the days and weeks leading up to what happened.”

The investigation comes as the Department of Homeland Security continues its own internal review of the shooting. Two Border Patrol agents who fired their weapons during the January 24 encounter have been placed on administrative leave.

Fatal January 24 Shooting Caught On Video

Multiple videos verified by news organizations show the circumstances of Pretti’s death on January 24. The footage depicts Pretti holding his cellphone and recording federal agents conducting immigration operations when he was confronted by officers.

Videos show Pretti being shoved by a federal officer, then repeatedly pepper-sprayed before appearing to be pulled into the street. While Pretti was pinned on the ground by multiple officers, one agent is seen removing a handgun from Pretti’s waist—seconds before another agent opened fire.

According to a government report sent to Congress, two CBP agents fired their weapons during the encounter. Trump administration officials initially alleged the shots were “defensive” in nature, though videos show Pretti never brandished his weapon or reached for it.

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller had called Pretti a “would-be assassin” at a Tuesday press conference, prompting Trump to distance himself from that characterization.

“With that being said, you know, you can’t have guns,” Trump said earlier this week. “But it’s just a very unfortunate incident.”

Administration Removes Minneapolis Commander

In an apparent effort to reduce tensions, Trump removed Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Greg Bovino from the Minneapolis scene on Monday and sent in border czar Tom Homan to oversee operations.

The president also spoke by phone with Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey—both Democrats he has harshly criticized in the past—about reducing tensions.

Homan admitted Thursday that operations in the state could be improved and called on local leaders to work together with federal agents to “tone down the dangerous rhetoric.” A top ICE official subsequently sent a memo ordering agents not to engage with protesters.

However, Trump’s early Friday post attacking Pretti appears to undermine those de-escalation efforts.

Conservative Commentators Defend Federal Actions

Some conservative media figures have supported the administration’s handling of the situation and criticized Pretti’s actions.

Fox News host Jesse Watters described Pretti as a “hostile, aggressive, extremely angry and violent man” on a recent episode of “The Five,” though he quickly added, “That doesn’t justify what happened to him.”

Commentator Megyn Kelly said on her show that she doesn’t feel sorry for Pretti, suggesting he provoked officers.

“I know I’m supposed to feel sorry for Alex Pretti, but I don’t. I don’t. Do you know why I wasn’t shot by Border Patrol this weekend? Because I kept my ass inside and out of their operations,” Kelly said.

Second Fatal Shooting Adds To Minnesota Crisis

Pretti’s killing came weeks after Renee Good, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident, was fatally shot by a federal officer on January 7 while in her car. The January 13 confrontation between Pretti and federal agents occurred just blocks from where Good was killed.

The two shootings have intensified scrutiny of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and raised questions about the administration’s immigration enforcement tactics. Sources told CBS News that some within DHS are increasingly concerned about the agency’s reputation, though Noem is not expected to lose her job.

Multiple organizations have called for a “National Shutdown” on Friday to protest federal immigration enforcement tactics, with activists planning peaceful demonstrations outside Target stores and other locations nationwide.

Minnesota Officials Demand Independent Investigation

Governor Walz responded to news of the FBI investigation by questioning whether it could be truly impartial given the Justice Department’s position within the Trump administration.

“Trump’s right hand cannot be responsible for investigating his left hand. We need an independent, impartial investigation now,” Walz wrote on social media.

Former Presidents Barack Obama, Joe Biden, and Bill Clinton all issued statements this week warning about threats to civil liberties in the wake of federal enforcement actions in Minnesota.

“It should also be a wake-up call to every American, regardless of party, that many of our core values as a nation are increasingly under assault,” the Obamas wrote, criticizing what they described as “unprecedented tactics” employed by federal agents acting “with impunity.”

The former presidents specifically condemned the use of “masked ICE recruits and other federal agents” who appear “designed to intimidate, harass, provoke and endanger the residents of a major American city.”

As Trump labels a slain American citizen an “insurrectionist” while federal investigations proceed, can the administration restore credibility to its immigration enforcement operations or will tensions continue escalating nationwide?

Sources

This report was compiled using information from NBC News’ coverage of Trump’s comments, CBS News’ reporting on the January 13 video, TIME’s coverage of Trump’s escalating rhetoric, The Hill’s reporting on Trump’s response, Salon’s analysis of Trump’s attacks, ABC News’ live updates on the DOJ investigation, PBS NewsHour’s coverage of the unearthed videos, NBC News’ reporting on the altercation, and CBS Minnesota’s ongoing coverage.

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