Kristi Noem walked confidently to the microphone. She said Alex Pretti was a real danger. “Federal agents had responded to a man reaching for a weapon,” she said without hesitation. She spoke in an unusually firm tone. However, a completely different reality emerged as the week went on.
Recently released video, confirmed by several sources, presented a remarkably contradictory image. Pretti is seen with nothing in one hand and a phone in the other during those crucial six minutes. No weapon in sight. Don’t lunge. Just chaos and tension, followed by a barrage of gunfire. Two federal agents. Just one man. Numerous queries.
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Kristi Noem | Secretary of Homeland Security (2026), former South Dakota Governor |
| Alex Pretti | 37-year-old ICU nurse, Minneapolis resident, law-abiding gun owner |
| Incident Date | January 24, 2026 |
| Location | Minneapolis, MN |
| Federal Response | Two CBP agents discharged weapons; now on administrative leave |
| Public Fallout | Eyewitness video contradicts DHS claims; protests escalating |
| Key Reference | CBS News report (Jan 28, 2026) |
In terms of public trust, early misstatements not only cloud an incident but also produce a fog that can last for years, particularly during highly visible federal operations. Following Noem’s remarks, that fog quickly developed, attracting the attention of local authorities, media outlets, and civil rights activists. Critics quickly declared her story to be incredibly deceptive.
The incident was especially unsettling for Minneapolis residents. Pretti was more than just an acronym. He was familiar and well-known. an intensive care unit nurse. a lawfully authorized firearms owner. Yes, someone who had previously gotten into a fight with agents, but this person had no criminal history and, more significantly, had been attacked by the same agents less than two weeks prior.
CBS News reported that two agents fired their weapons based on verified video and internal memos. This directly refuted Noem’s first claim and sparked additional questions about whether her office had hurried to create a plot that quickly fell apart when examined.
Although controversy is nothing new for Noem, this instance feels very different. She has established her political reputation by taking a particularly direct approach to leadership, portraying herself as an unreserved orator and a fierce defender of national security. However, Pretti’s passing gave her decisiveness a new perspective that prioritizes honesty over toughness.
The video showed more than just what Pretti was holding—or, more accurately, not holding. It caught hesitancy, body language, and a federal agent drawing a gun in the middle of a fight. One agent turned away from the confrontation and fled after drawing a weapon. The shots then arrived. That sequence was alarmingly inconsistent with DHS talking points, but it was also clear and repeatable.
Federal sources have quietly confirmed in recent days that the agents involved are currently on administrative leave. Growing internal pressure led to this decision, which implies DHS leadership is trying to reassess. But the timing—after, not before, public outcry—dramatically undermined public trust.
Clarity is crucial for crisis response in its early stages. DHS’s credibility has been significantly damaged by the lack of transparency, particularly considering how personal this case is. Through their lawyer, Pretti’s family issued a statement that mentioned both the deadly encounter and the previous incident in which he was allegedly hurt by ICE agents without any justification or subsequent medical attention.
I found myself watching the first clip again in an attempt to find any hint of hesitation in Noem’s voice that would convey uncertainty. None existed.
This is why this particular moment is so important for her leadership. She didn’t use hedging. She didn’t hold off. And by doing this, she might have given credence to a version of events that time and technology have shown to be unreliable.
More than sixty CEOs from Minnesota-based businesses, including the incoming CEO of Target, have signed an open letter in recent days pleading with the federal government to reduce violence and reaffirm its commitment to openness. Such corporate alignment is indicative of an exceptionally wide coalition of concern, not only from activists but also from business executives whose reputations are at risk.
Strategic community partnerships have facilitated the rapid mobilization of local organizations. Throughout the state, nonviolent sit-ins have been organized. There will be a nationwide shutdown demonstration on Friday. Additionally, civil liberties organizations have started recording comparable instances of use of force connected to immigration enforcement in other cities.
Noem’s political supporters have said nothing. According to sources, there was a “highly tense” atmosphere even within DHS, and some career staff members questioned whether her office had complete access to the bodycam data prior to making their public statement.
There is now pressure to explain not only what occurred but also when Noem knew it, as well as whether the story she provided was influenced more by intuition than facts.
Alex Pretti’s name has become a focal point, but he is no longer here to speak for himself. The accuracy with which his last moments were captured and the fact that the truth, this time, has receipts are the reasons, not politics.
What started out as a single altercation outside a doughnut shop has since evolved into a case study on how quickly narratives are formed and how important it is that they withstand close examination. DHS will be asked questions concerning leadership in addition to tactics in the upcoming weeks.
Additionally, Kristi Noem, who once spoke confidently over the din, now has to react to public memory, which is more potent than political pressure.
