
Trump calls Pretti 'insurrectionist' after earlier video surfaces
President Donald Trump, in a post to his Truth Social account overnight, called Alex Pretti an "agitator" and "perhaps" an "insurrectionist" after video of Prett's interactions with federal agents on Jan. 13 surfaced on social media.
Pretti was killed in a shooting by federal agents on Jan. 24 in an incident that sparked an uproar nationwide.
This is the first time the president has commented publicly on Pretti's Jan. 13 interaction with federal agents -- 11 days before Pretti got into a confrontation with federal agents when he was shot and killed in Minneapolis.
In the post on social media, Trump criticized the video of Pretti kicking a vehicle used by federal agents in Minneapolis, describing Pretti's actions as a "display of abuse and anger."
"Agitator and, perhaps, insurrectionist," said Trump in the post. "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."
The president further commended the ICE officers' actions, saying he was "calm and cool."
In the Jan. 13 video the president is referring to, Pretti is wrestled to the ground and surrounded by multiple agents after he kicked the car, escaping from the agents shortly after.
Before the video of Pretti's interaction with federal agents in Minnesota on Jan. 13 surfaced, Trump had been more cautious in how he characterized the shooting than several other administration officials.
Videos verified by ABC News show that Pretti appeared to be using his phone to record the agents before he was shoved by a federal officer. Seconds later, a federal officer repeatedly pepper-sprayed Pretti and then appeared to pull him into the street.
While Pretti seems to have been pinned on the street by officers, one of the agents is seen in multiple verified videos emerging from the scrum with a handgun that appears to match the weapon federal officials say Pretti was carrying. Before the first shot is fired, another agent can be seen drawing his own handgun, while another repeatedly hits Pretti before two officers fire their guns at Pretti.
In total, 10 shots were fired in less than five seconds, according to a forensic audio analysis of the videos. Pretti was declared dead on the scene.








