Two federal agents involved in Alex Pretti shooting have been placed on administrative leave
By NBC News
MINNEAPOLIS (NBC News) -- Two Border Patrol agents involved in the shooting of Alex Pretti in Minnesota have been placed on administrative leave, according to Tricia McLaughlin, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security.
A preliminary report indicated that both officers fired their weapons during the altercation, but it did not confirm claims that Pretti was brandishing a gun.
President Donald Trump announced a restructuring of the immigration operations following widespread backlash to the recent shootings of Pretti and another individual, Renee Good. Meanwhile, Minn. Gov. Tim Walz and border czar Tom Homan met to discuss ongoing dialogues and future strategies for immigration enforcement.
Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., has called for an independent investigation into Pretti's death, suggesting that the Department of Homeland Security should appoint a commission to look into the incident.
"We can't just say oh, nothing to see here and he was obviously an assassin and a domestic terrorist. When we say things like that, it leads to no confidence," Paul stated during a press briefing.
Paul criticized the initial statements made regarding Pretti's actions during the confrontation. "I don't think it's honest to say he brandished a weapon. I don't think it's honest to say he assaulted officers," he emphasized, highlighting the lack of evidence supporting those claims.
The senator also detailed his perspective on Pretti's behavior during the incident, stating, "I'm not saying he might not have been obnoxious. I'm not saying he might have said obnoxious things, but he films; he doesn't even obstruct the traffic. He waves a car through in the middle of this as they approach him."
He noted that at various points, Pretti appeared to retreat rather than escalate the situation. Furthermore, Paul questioned the definitions of assault in this context.
"Americans need to know whether or not filming someone, as I see is going on right now, whether that could be considered to be assault. Whether retreating from ICE agents is considered to be assault and whether or not filming and then retreating is an indication that you're a potential assassin," Paul said.
It is unclear what the next steps will be for the investigation or the Border Patrol agents who are currently on leave. Further announcements regarding the examinations or changes in policy regarding immigration operations are expected as the case develops.
