Doctor Witness: ICE Counted Wounds, Not CPR After Minneapolis Shooting
Doctor Witness: ICE Counted Wounds, Not CPR After Minneapolis Shooting
A physician witness recalls a chaotic scene as federal officers fatally shoot Alex Pretti, alleging ICE prioritized tallying wounds over CPR.
A physician witness who treated Alex Pretti after he was fatally shot by federal officers in Minneapolis says ICE agents appeared to be focused on counting the victim's bullet wounds rather than performing CPR. The 29-year-old pediatrician, who has lived in Minneapolis since 2024, described waking to a cacophony of car horns and whistles at around 9 a.m. local time on Saturday, Jan. 24, as responders moved through the chaotic scene. The witness said they saw the 37-year-old ICU nurse shot multiple times, and that the scene was chaotic, with civilians screaming and honking. 'The scene was chaotic. Many civilians were screaming and honking. Over the noise, I informed the ICE agents that I am a physician, and I asked to assess the victim,' the witness said.
The doctor added that their view 'was partially obstructed,' but they’d seen ICE agents shoot the nurse multiple times. The account also notes that the doctors tried to gain access to provide care but were blocked and asked repeatedly for a physician's license. In court documents, the doctor alleged that federal agents initially wouldn’t let them through to provide medical care and had 'repeatedly asked' for a physician's license.
Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, died in the incident as federal officers confronted protesters in Minneapolis. The witness described a sense of urgency and confusion as responders attempted to intervene, while officers appeared to coordinate a response under intense noise and public scrutiny.
Another protester standing about five feet away, who described themselves as trying to help a woman at the scene, said they did not see Pretti threaten the officers and questioned why he was shot. 'I didn’t see him touch any of them — he wasn’t even turned toward them,' the person said, offering another perspective amid competing accounts. The episode underscores ongoing questions about how federal agents respond during protests and the steps taken to preserve life in chaotic urban settings.
