The ACLU of Minnesota filed a lawsuit against DHS officials in regards to federal immigration crackdowns occurring in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota. Documents filed January 24 under the case name Tincher v. Noem et al. reveal the official witness statements from the death of 37-year-old US citizen Alex Pretti, on January 24.

The first statement, from a witness colloquially known as the “pink coat lady” reads below with some redactions for the sake of privacy.

I, [redacted for privacy] declare as follows:

• I am a resident of the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis, Minnesota. I am over 18 years of age. I am a children’s entertainer who specializes in face painting.
• On Saturday, January 24, 2026, at about 8:50 am, I was getting ready to go to work when I heard whistles outside. I knew the whistles meant that ICE agents were in the area, so I decided to check it out on my way to work. I’ve been involved in observing in my community because it is so important to document what ICE is doing to my neighbors. Connecting to your local community and knowing who your neighbors are is something I profoundly value.
• I drove to Nicollet Ave. and 26th where I could hear the whistles coming from. I turned south onto Nicollet. There were already several ICE agents there and they’d set up a sort of vehicle convoy on Nicollet and 28th There were also about 15 observers there, recording and observing ICE.
• I saw ICE agents surrounding cars and punching car windows. I also saw them stopping vehicles further down Nicollet, so I backed up because I didn’t feel safe continuing on.
• I noticed a man sort of acting to help traffic move more smoothly. He helped me find a place to park. I got out with my whistle and my camera. I went over to him and said something like, “I’m going to film and use my whistle.”
• It seemed like most ICE activity was happening a little farther down the street from us, near 27th. Someone was being thrown to the ground.
• I started recording. There was an agent by a car across the street. Two observers were a few feet away from the agent, blowing their whistles. One was wearing a backpack.
• I and the man who was observing and helping direct traffic were standing in the street. There was a phone in the man’s hand recording a video.
• An agent approached and asked us to back up, so I moved slowly back onto the sidewalk.
• The man stayed in the street, filming as the other observers I mentioned earlier were being forced backward by another ICE agent threatening them with pepper spray. The man went closer to support them as they got threatened, just with his camera out. I didn’t see him reach for or hold a gun.

• Then the ICE agent shoved one of the other observers to the ground. Then he started pepper spraying all three of them directly in the face and all over. The man with the phone put his hands above his head and the agent sprayed him again and pushed him.
• Then the man tried to help up the woman the ICE agent had shoved to the ground. The ICE agents just kept spraying. More agents came over and grabbed the man who was still trying to help the woman get up. All three of the observers looked to have been badly affected by the pepper spray. I could feel the pepper spray in my eyes.

• The agents pulled the man on the ground. I didn’t see him touch any of them-he wasn’t even turned toward them. It didn’t look like he was trying to resist, just trying to help the woman up. I didn’t see him with a gun. They threw him to the ground. Four or five agents had him on the ground and they just started shooting him. They shot him so many times.
• I don’t know why they shot him. He was only helping. I was five feet from him and they just shot him.

• The video I recorded of what happened accurately depicts the events leading up to the agents shooting him and several minutes afterwards. The video is attached as Exhibit 1.
• I have read the statement from DHS about what happened and it is wrong. The man did not approach the agents with a gun. He approached them with a camera. He was just trying to help a woman get up and they took him to the ground.
• I feel afraid. Only hours have passed since they shot a man right in front me and I don’t feel like I can go home because I heard agents were looking for me. I don’t know what the agents will do when they find me. I do know that they’re not telling the truth about what happened. I’ve heard that other witnesses might have been arrested and taken to the Whipple Building.

• I am disgusted and gutted at how they are treating my neighbors and my state. I keep alternating between crying and feeling determined-it is important to remember the value of documenting injustice. We show up for the people who need us to bear witness, because it can’t just be one group of people bearing the brunt of their tyranny. This is a struggle to protect our freedom and democracy, those things are on the line. He lost his life for those values.

I declare under penalty of perjury that everything I have stated in this document is true and correct.

This statement was submitted in the United States District Court District of Minnesota and can be found here.

An additional witness statement from a neighbor and pediatrician was filed on January 24, 2026 as well. This statement reads below.

I [redacted for privacy] declare as follows:

• I am a 29-year-old resident of the [redacted] in Minneapolis, Minnesota. I have lived in Minneapolis since 2024, where I moved to the city to begin my medical residency. I am a licensed pediatrician, and I have been pediatric medicine in the city since I moved here.
• On January 24, 2026 at approximately 9:00 am CST, I was awoken by the sounds of cars honking and whistles blowing. Shortly after I woke, I heard screaming from outside my window. I [redacted] saw several ICE and civilians yelling at each other.
• One civilian was standing in front of a parked car on the side of the road. I saw him yelling at the ICE agents, but I did not see him attack the agents or brandish a weapon of any kind.

• Suddenly, an ICE agent shoved him to the ground. My view of the altercation was partially obstructed, but after a few seconds, I saw at least four ICE agents point guns at the man. I then saw the agents shoot the man at least six or seven times.
• Initially I was stunned. From what I could see from my apartment, there was absolutely no need for any violence let alone lethal force by multiple officers. I immediately put on my boots and coat, ran outside, and approached ICE agents who were near the victim.
• 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.
• At first, ICE agents wouldn’t let me through. They repeatedly asked for my physician’s license, which I obviously didn’t have. But none of the ICE agents who were near the victim were performing CPR, and I could tell that the victim was in critical condition. I insisted that the agents let me assess him. Normally, I would not have been so persistent, but as a physician, I felt a professional and moral obligation to help this man, especially since none of the agents were helping him.
• Finally, one agent agreed to let me assess the victim. He patted me down to “make sure I didn’t have a weapon” and then let me approach the victim.
• As I approached, I saw the victim was lying on his side and was surrounded by several ICE agents. I was confused as to why the victim was on his side, because that is not standard practice when a victim has been shot. Checking for a pulse and administering CPR is standard practice. Instead of doing either of those things, the ICE agents appeared to be counting his bullet wounds.

• I asked the ICE agents if the victim had a pulse, and they said they did not know. I then asked ICE agents to make space so I could assess the victim.
• The victim had at least three bullet wounds in his back. I asked the ICE agents to turn the victim from his side to his back. From that position, I saw an additional gunshot wound on the victim’s upper left chest and another possible gunshot wound on his neck.
• I checked for a pulse, but I did not feel one. I immediately began CPR. Shortly after I started compressions, EMS arrived and took over.
• I remained at the scene for about five more minutes, but protesters began to gather and the situation seemed to be escalating, so I left and returned to my apartment.
• When I returned to my apartment,  I was extremely distraught. I was sobbing and shaking uncontrollably. Eventually, I called my sister, who lives in a nearby suburb. I called her for comfort because I did not feel safe in my apartment; I wanted to see if I could stay with her for the day and maybe even a few days.
• I also sought advice from a friend who works for the City of Minneapolis. He recommended that I shelter in place because the situation outside my apartment was so dangerous. I was going to follow his advice, but then ICE agents deployed tear gas on the crowd that had gathered below, and the tear gas began seeping into my apartment.

• At that point, I did not feel like I could stay in my apartment any longer. I packed an overnight bag, took the elevator down to the parking garage, and drove about six blocks to a friend’s house. I was still crying and shaking at this point, and I was barely able to speak. I drove to my friend’s house because it was close, and I wanted time to collect myself before driving 30 minutes to my sister’s house.
• I am devastated by the killing of a Minnesotan by multiple federal immigration agents. From what I could tell, the victim was not actively threatening ICE agents or the public – he was just yelling at the agents because he objected to ICE’s presence in our city. A person should not be shot and killed for lawfully expressing their opinions.
• I am not sure when I will return to my apartment. I do not feel safe in my city. In less than one month, ICE agents have shot and killed two people for protesting and observing their actions. I worry that I or someone I love will be shot and killed for voicing their displeasure and being in the wrong place the wrong time.

I declare under penalty of perjury that everything I have stated in this document is true and correct.

This statement was filed in the United States District Court District of Minnesota and can be read here.