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By Gabe Whisnant
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White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller said Tuesday that officials are reviewing why Customs and Border Protection agents in Minneapolis “may not have been following” proper protocol ahead of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
Miller told CNN that the White House had instructed the Department of Homeland Security to use extra personnel in Minnesota for "conducting fugitive operations and to create a physical barrier between the arrest teams and the disruptors.”
“We are evaluating why the CBP team may not have been following that protocol,” he said, as questions mount over the federal response to the incident.
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On Saturday, Miller on social media described Pretti as an “assassin” who “tried to murder federal agents.” Vice President JD Vance shared the post on X as well.
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New Details Revealed by Border Patrol
Meanwhile, Customs and Border Protection informed Congress that two officers fired their weapons during the fatal shooting of Pretti, according to a notification obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press. The notice said one officer fired his Glock, followed by another officer discharging his weapon.
The findings were based on an analysis conducted by investigators from CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility, who reviewed body-worn camera footage and agency records, the notification said.
Federal law requires CBP to report in-custody deaths and certain other fatalities involving its agents or officers to Congress.
According to the notice, officers attempted to take Pretti into custody and he resisted, leading to a physical struggle. During the confrontation, a Border Patrol agent repeatedly shouted, “He’s got a gun!” the notice said.
The officers involved in Pretti's shooting have not been identified.
Trump Contradicts Miller's 'Assassin' Remarks
As President Trump departed the White House on Tuesday for a trip to Iowa, he faced repeated questions from reporters about the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti. Trump pushed back against language used by his deputy chief of staff.
Asked whether he believed Pretti was an assassin, Trump replied, “No.”
When pressed on whether the killing was justified, Trump called the shooting “a very sad situation” and said a “big investigation” was underway.
“I’m going to be watching over it, and I want a very honorable and honest investigation,” he said. “I have to see it myself.”
Trump also said Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who had earlier described Pretti as a violent instigator, would not resign.
Later, while greeting diners at a restaurant in Iowa, Trump commented further on Pretti’s possession of a firearm, remarks that were likely to frustrate some of his supporters who strongly back Second Amendment rights.
“He certainly shouldn’t have been carrying a gun,” Trump said, again calling the shooting “a very, very unfortunate incident.”
“I don’t like that he had a gun. I don’t like that he had two fully loaded magazines,” Trump added. “That’s a lot of bad stuff.”
This article includes reporting by the Associated Press.
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