DHS theory that guns at protests are 'unlawful' blasted as absurd in Minneapolis shooting case
In the Minneapolis shooting case, critics have blasted the Department of Homeland Security’s theory that merely being armed at a protest — even with a legal permit — makes someone unlawful, pointing to an eyewitness account filed in court describing an ICE operation in which Pretti, who was filming with his hands raised, was repeatedly pepper‑sprayed, tackled and shot. The account also alleges agents surrounded cars, threatened observers and used spray pre‑emptively, linking the shooting to crowd‑control behavior rather than solely to the presence of a firearm.
📌 Key Facts
- An eyewitness account says Pretti had his phone out filming, raised his hands when confronted, and was repeatedly pepper‑sprayed before being tackled and shot.
- Witnesses describe crowd‑control behavior by agents — surrounding cars, threatening observers, and using spray pre‑emptively — linking the shooting to those tactics rather than solely to the presence of a firearm.
- Observers and experts say the eyewitness narrative strengthens critiques of the DHS theory that merely being armed at a protest makes someone an ‘‘unlawful’’ threat, by anchoring the criticism to a specific on‑the‑ground sequence.
- The eyewitness account has been filed with the court as part of active litigation, not only reported in the media.
- These details were reported by FOX 9 Minneapolis‑St. Paul on 2026-01-25 in a story titled ‘‘Minneapolis shooting: ICE operation turns violent, witnesses allege excessive force.’
📊 Relevant Data
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There may be around 70,000 Venezuela-owned businesses contributing around $62 billion to the U.S. economy.
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The major driver of Venezuelan migration to the U.S. has been policies that allow illegal aliens to enter, be released, and work in the United States.
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Armed demonstrations turned violent or destructive 13.6% of the time in 2021, up from 11.4% in 2020.
Updated Armed Demonstration Data: A Year After 6 January Insurrection — ACLED
As of January 7, 2026, US immigration agents have been involved in 29 incidents, including 16 shootings, under Trump's second term.
US immigration agents shot at people 16 times under Trump's second term – report — The Guardian
📰 Source Timeline (2)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
- Adds granular narrative detail that Pretti had his phone out filming, raised his hands when confronted, and was repeatedly pepper‑sprayed before being tackled and shot.
- Strengthens the factual record behind existing expert criticism of DHS’s claim that simply being armed at a protest makes someone an unlawful threat, by anchoring it to a specific on‑the‑ground sequence.
- Connects the shooting more directly to crowd‑control behavior (agents surrounding cars, threatening observers, using spray pre‑emptively), not just to the presence of a firearm.
- Confirms that this eyewitness account has already been lodged with the court as part of active litigation, not just media commentary.