A former prosecutor stated he opted to drop charges against Alex Preti, who was filmed spitting at federal agents and damaging a government vehicle just days before his death. The decision was made due to the “circumstances” surrounding immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.
The video, made public by News Movement, shows Preti engaging in aggressive behavior toward an officer and kicking a broken federal SUV on January 13. He was shot by Border Patrol agents only 11 days later, on January 24.
In the footage, Preti can be heard hurling insults and making obscene gestures as a federal agent exits the vehicle and takes him to the ground.
Steve Schleicher, who represents Preti’s family, confirmed that Preti was involved in the incident just a week before the fatal encounter.
Schleicher emphasized that Preti was assaulted by ICE agents without posing a threat and argued that prior events did not justify his shooting by ICE a week later.
Preti, an ICU nurse, was reportedly recording federal agents when he was approached. Initially, officials claimed he had brandished a firearm and resisted efforts to disarm him, but this account is questioned by bystander video and eyewitness testimonies.
Officials were conducting enforcement operations in the vicinity, which led to civilians reacting by whistling and shouting, prompting a request for onlookers to stay on the sidewalks to avoid interference.
Former federal prosecutor Fred Teche remarked on the situation, noting that while Preti should have faced arrest for his actions, the environment in Minneapolis influenced the outcome. He suggested that under different circumstances, kicking a vehicle and spitting on an officer would usually lead to an arrest.
Teche mentioned that the chaotic atmosphere surrounding protests might have contributed to the decision not to arrest Preti at that time.
Preti’s death marked the second such incident involving federal immigration agents in the area in a short period, amid increasing tensions regarding enforcement actions.
In the wake of the incident, President Trump acknowledged to a news source that his administration was evaluating all aspects related to the shooting.
