It’s the second fatal shooting in Minneapolis by immigration agents this month, and once again Trump administration officials immediately defended the action as self-defense while blaming the victim — in this case claiming he was a “domestic terrorist” intending to “massacre” officers.

Multiple bystander videos and witness testimony contradict that. Pretti can be seen holding only a phone in his hand before at least six officers tackle him, pinning him face down on the ground and shooting him in the back, firing what sounds like 10 shots. One eyewitness said in a court document that Pretti was not even facing agents when they grabbed him. “It didn’t look like he was trying to resist, just trying to help [a] woman up,” they wrote.

Pretti was a U.S. citizen with no known criminal record. DHS says he was armed, and the city’s police chief confirmed he had a lawful permit to carry. There has been no evidence that NPR has verified of Pretti brandishing his handgun at any time during the encounter with federal agents. One video appears to show an officer take away his gun just before another shoots him.

  • Hawke@lemmy.world
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    5
    ·
    7 days ago

    I mean of course reality contradicts a lie. That’s what makes it a lie by definition.