Did the federal agent leave the scene after the Pritti shooting
Executive summary
Video and contemporaneous reporting show that at least one federal agent was recorded walking away from the immediate location after the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti while holding a firearm, and federal officers subsequently restricted access to the scene — but the precise movements of every agent, and an authoritative timeline of departures from the scene, remain matters under investigation and not fully established by public evidence [1] [2] [3].
1. What the videos plainly show about agents leaving the scene
Multiple bystander videos verified by news organizations capture a federal agent who appears to take a weapon from Alex Pretti and then walks away from the struggle while holding that firearm; in one clip a gunshot is audible shortly after that agent moves away, and analysts have said it is unclear from the footage which weapon fired the first shot [1] [2]. Those same video compilations, reviewed by outlets including CNBC and the Daily Mail, form the central visual record that contradicts early, definitive federal descriptions of the incident and demonstrate at least one agent physically leaving the immediate tussle after the disarmament [1] [2].
2. Federal posture at the scene: blockade and control, not departure
Reporting indicates that federal agents did not immediately cede control of the area after the shooting; Minneapolis police and state officials said they were blocked from accessing the scene by federal personnel, even after obtaining a warrant, and federal agents were described guarding and managing the site while investigators arrived [3]. In other words, while individuals among the federal team are captured on video walking away from the scuffle, the overall agency presence remained on scene and in charge, preventing local officers and some medical responders from approaching at first [4] [3].
3. Conflicting official narratives and the limits of public evidence
Federal spokespeople quickly characterized the shooting as an act of self-defense by agents who said Pretti “approached” officers with a handgun and “violently resisted,” while video and local officials contradicted key elements of that account; news outlets have highlighted a gap between early DHS statements and what can be seen on camera [1] [5] [6]. Crucially, multiple outlets report that body‑worn and other camera footage exist and are being reviewed, but public footage to date does not provide a fully detailed, minute-by-minute accounting of every agent’s movements, meaning definitive claims that all agents either stayed or left the scene cannot yet be substantiated from available public reporting [7] [8].
4. Medical aid and scene management: agents' actions after the shooting
A doctor who later filed a sworn statement said federal agents initially hesitated and asked for proof of credentials when offered assistance to Pretti, and witnesses described federal agents using crowd‑control measures such as tear gas and flash bangs as protesters gathered; such actions are consistent with federal agents maintaining control of the scene rather than withdrawing en masse immediately after the shooting [4]. Visuals also show at least one agent moving through a cloud of irritant near the site shortly after the event, reinforcing that agents continued operational activity in the vicinity [2].
5. What remains unresolved and how investigations will matter
Federal investigative leads — including DHS, the FBI and CBP internal reviews — have been reported as active and are said to be examining body‑camera and other footage that could clarify exactly who left where and when [8] [3]. Until those official timelines and full video releases are publicly disclosed, reporting can confirm that some agents were seen walking away after the disarmament and that federal personnel controlled the scene and limited access, but cannot provide a complete, verified roster of departures or a legally conclusive chronology [1] [3].