CNN's Sara Sidner called out the Trump administration for lying about the fatal shooting of intensive care nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis.
A Customs and Border Patrol officer shot and killed the 37-year-old Pretti after he came to the aid of two female legal observers during an immigration operation, and the "CNN News Central" host reported live from the city about the administration's claims about the fatal shooting.
"Demonstrators have been out in the streets in subzero temperatures, demanding again and again that ICE leave this city," Sidner said. "Now the Trump administration has tripled down on its efforts to put the responsibility on the victim, Alex Pretti, as opposed to its federal agents who shot him.
"But they have been caught in lies. When you listen to what they say and juxtapose it with the video, see for yourself."
At least four different videos of the fatal encounter recorded by eyewitnesses contradict administration claims.
"A warning: What you are about to see is what Nelson Barajas saw outside the donut shop," Sidner said. "This is the clearest angle of the shooting as it happened. That is Alex Pretti recording on his cell phone as Border Patrol agents arrive outside the donut shop. He goes into the street waving cars through.
"Now here is how the Department of Homeland Security described how Pretti approached federal agents: 'An individual approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a nine-millimeter semiautomatic handgun.' That's not what video shows. It shows federal agents approach Pretti, all he has in his hand is a cell phone, not a gun.
"Then you see him moving one protester away from agents while agents shove another to the ground as he tries to help the protester they shoved, agents deploy pepper spray. Three wrestle him to the ground, more join in from another angle. You see one agent punching him in the face with a canister of pepper spray in his hand. Pretti is on the ground under them, nothing appears in his hands. You can see an officer in a gray jacket walk into frame."
"Seconds later, agents shout, 'He's got a gun!'" Sidner added. "One agent removes a gun from his belt. He steps away from the scene, carrying a firearm seen here in his right hand. Turns out state authorities say Pretti has a license to legally carry a gun, but you never see him draw it. Instead, an agent draws his gun while standing above Pretti and fires the first shot. Pretti survived, somehow rising up to his knees, then agents fired at least ten more times.
"Pretti's body slumps face down in the street, lifeless, but federal authorities weren't done with their accusations against him."
- YouTube youtu.be
