BREAKING: Key Witness in Alex Pretti Shooting Breaks Silence, Contradicts Official Account in Legal Filing
MINNEAPOLIS — The woman seen on video being assisted by Alex Pretti moments before he was fatally shot by federal agents has come forward with a sworn declaration that directly challenges the government’s justification for the shooting, potentially altering the course of the investigation and related lawsuits.
In legal documents filed late Tuesday in federal court, the woman, identified as Mariana Vega, 34, provides a detailed, first-person account of the chaotic immigration enforcement operation in South Minneapolis on May 4th. Her testimony contradicts the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) assertion that Pretti posed an imminent threat to officers.
“He was only trying to help me up. He had nothing in his hands. He said, ‘Are you okay?’ Then they just started shooting,” Vega states in the declaration, filed as part of a civil rights lawsuit brought by Pretti’s family.
The encounter, captured in part on bystander video and previously reported, shows Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers attempting to detain Vega outside a corner store. After a physical struggle, an officer shoves Vega to the pavement. Seconds later, Alex Pretti, 28, a local community volunteer, is seen entering the frame and moving toward her. Gunfire erupts almost immediately.
Federal authorities, in their initial statement, claimed Pretti “aggressively intervened in a federal law enforcement operation” and “made a movement consistent with reaching for a weapon,” prompting agents to fire in self-defense. No weapon was found on Pretti.
Vega’s account dismantles key pillars of that narrative. She claims the officers did not identify themselves as ICE until after they had physically grabbed her, leading to confusion and panic. She states Pretti, whom she did not know personally but recognized from the neighborhood, was several feet away and moving slowly with his hands visible when the first shot was fired.
“I was on the ground, looking right at him. His hands were empty and open. He wasn’t charging; he wasn’t yelling. He was coming to help a person who was fallen,” she declares. “The sound of the gun was so loud. I saw him stumble. They kept shooting.”
Her attorney, Lisa Chen, of the Civil Liberties Defense Project, argues Vega’s testimony is devastating to the official story. “This is not a minor discrepancy. This is an eyewitness, who was the subject of the operation, stating unequivocally that the deadly force used was unprovoked and unjustified. Her declaration shows Pretti was a Good Samaritan, not a threat.”
The filing includes a new analysis of video footage by a forensic expert retained by the plaintiffs. The analysis, cited alongside Vega’s statement, suggests Pretti’s posture and hand positions were not consistent with a threatening move, but rather with someone approaching cautiously with intent to assist.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety, which is conducting a parallel state investigation, confirmed they have interviewed Vega and are “incorporating all new witness testimony and evidence.” A spokesperson said the federal account is “under active scrutiny.”
The reaction has been swift. Congresswoman Ilhan Omar, whose district includes Minneapolis, called for an immediate congressional hearing. “Mariana Vega’s courage in coming forward exposes a pattern of brutality and cover-up. This demands the highest level of accountability.”
DHS has not commented on the new filing, citing ongoing litigation. However, internal pressure is mounting. Former federal prosecutor David Keller noted, “This witness is the closest independent party to the shooting. If her testimony holds up under cross-examination, it becomes incredibly difficult for the government to maintain its qualified immunity defense. This could open the door not just to a wrongful death suit, but to potential criminal inquiry.”
For activists, Vega’s statement is a watershed. “This proves what we’ve been saying: Alex was murdered for the ‘crime’ of showing empathy,” said Maya Thorne, an organizer with Justice for Pretti. “Mariana’s truth is the key to unraveling the government’s lies.”
As the legal and political battles intensify, the sworn words of Mariana Vega have introduced a formidable new variable into the case—one that could indeed shake the investigation to its core and determine whether the agents involved will ever face a jury
