Trump administration twists facts in labeling Alex Pretti a ‘domestic terrorist’

Editor:

Once again, someone is killed by immigration officers in Minnesota. Once again, the official account of what happened is not supported by video evidence.

According to the government, Alex Jeffrey Pretti “approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun,” and Border Patrol tried to disarm him. Kristi Noem, Secretary of Homeland Security, has issued a statement claiming that Mr. Pretti intended to “kill law enforcement” and calling him a “domestic terrorist.”

Video of the incident shows a completely different story. In the video, Mr. Pretti is directing traffic in an area with agents around. Then he tries to help another protester who federal agents pushed to the ground. Mr. Pretti is then surrounded by six or seven heavily armed agents in full military gear and body armor; he puts his hands up, showing a phone in one hand and the other hand is empty.

The federal agents spray Mr. Pretti in the face with pepper then they pull him to the ground.  An agent appears to take a legal firearm out of the back of Mr. Pretti’s waistband. It is important to note that Mr. Pretti had a legal permit to carry that firearm.

Then shots are fired and Mr. Pretti stops moving. So, it appears that Mr. Pretti is disarmed, on the ground with at least six agents in full combat gear on top of him when he is killed. It appears to be an execution.

It appears, at the very least, that federal agents violated Mr. Pretti’s First Amendment rights to protest, his Second Amendment rights to legally carry a firearm, and his Fourth Amendment rights against unreasonable searches and seizures.

The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Associated Press and other organizations have analyzed the video and concluded that it contradicts what the Trump administration is telling us. Is the administration lying to us?  Mr. Trump and his Republican enablers have demonstrated a willingness to lie when it is in their interest.

Normally, the FBI investigates these types of shootings. But once again neither the FBI nor local law enforcement officials will be allowed to investigate the incident. The Department of Homeland Security, which has already passed judgment that Mr. Pretti was a terrorist and the killing was justified, will investigate. Why won’t they allow independent investigations? What are they afraid of?  What are they hiding?

Once again there is no accountability and no transparency from this administration or the Republican enablers. Finally, I want to remind everyone that Representatives Claudia Tenney and Nick Langworthy are silently acquiescing to this administration’s violation of our Constitutional rights and the lack of accountability.

William Fine

Brockport