Zack Beauchamp writes: “By this point, you’ve probably seen the videos — or at least heard about what’s in them. They show a man named Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who is filming ICE activity in Minneapolis, intervening when federal agents assault a woman. In response, the agents grab Pretti, force him to the ground, beat him, and ultimately shoot the defenseless man repeatedly. Pretti was pronounced dead on the scene.
“The footage of Pretti’s killing, shot from different angles by different bystanders, looks disturbingly similar to scenes in places like Syria and Iran — where people rising up against authoritarian regimes were silenced by baton and bullet. The resonance is especially chilling given the Trump administration’s response…
“These resonances suggest America is at a grim tipping point. The Trump administration’s actions augur an increasingly violent crackdown, one in which they attempt to secure power less by legal manipulation than by application of brutal force.
“Such a violent approach is unlikely to succeed in a country like the United States: Our domestic security forces are not equipped for the level of extreme brutality necessary to make it work in the face of growing public outrage.
“But how Trump responds to the democratic outpouring in the streets of Minnesota, and the growing unease among even some in his party, will determine just how dark and brutal the next few months will be.”
I’ve heard that chuck schumer is going to use two curse words in the same sentence in his strongly worded letter now
Chrono_Convoy on
*Murder
VerdantPathfinder on
They murdered a white woman a couple weeks ago. If that wasn’t a turning point, why is this? Is it because she was a lesbian and he’s straight? I mean “protect the white women” is second only to “protect the rich” on the right. And until they budge, nothing will change and we have a king instead of a president
CouchCorrespondent on
MILLIONS and MILLIONS saw the video and the subsequent lies because they were hunkering at home.
A captive audience forced to see the horrible reality of where we are as a nation.
Bishopjones2112 on
The murder of Alex is an act of terrorism. By definition ICE agents are acting as terrorist. The population needs to record what happens, identify the agents, and report them to the FBI. Ensure you keep copies of videos and reports, it may not do much now but later the reports and information will be useful to bring these terrorist to justice.
The FBI defines terrorism as the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government or civilian population in furtherance of political or social objectives.
Good luck and stay safe.
psychoholic on
“a grim turning point”
You fucking think so??
soupsupan on
Turning point to where exactly ?
CaptainLawyerDude on
Every point has been grim. I’m all grimmed out. How about it actually being a turning point? That would be a nice change.
Cunegonde_gardens on
Alex Pretti didn’t take out his gun, didn’t point his gun. All the videos show that he never had his gun in hand. After the gun was removed from where it was secured on his body by a “bystander” was when the 9 or 10 shots were fired, killing. Yet, despite what the videos clearly show, numerous officials are not only saying he pulled a gun, they are saying he came there with the “intent” to “massacre” federal agents.
In this country, where we have the right to *carry* legal weapons, what does it turn out is the official word on this from the Administration that supposedly upholds our laws?
* kristi Noem: He was a “domestic terrorist” who “assaulted” officers and came there to “perpetuate violence.”
* Greg Bovino: Claimed Pretti had intent to “massacre law enforcement” and do “maximum damage.”
* Stephen Miller: Pretti was a “would be assassin” who tried to “assassinate federal officers.”
* Tricia McLaughlin (DHS): Pretti “approached US Border Patrol oficers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun” and “violently resisted being disarmed,” prompting “defensive shots.”
Narrative control. It’s all they’ve got, and they shamelessly resort to it when video directly contradicts it. And it won’t stop no matter how much video is available. Blaming the victim is their MO.
Driz51 on
Hearing republicans and their leadership tell us that it’s not reasonable for someone to show up armed to a protest, even if they are licensed to be, is fucking wild. I swear I’ve crossed over into the bizarro world.
Edit: And I forgot to mention the NRA speaking out against that. Even more insane.
BatlethBae on
Sadly, it isn’t
Altruistic_Bid_2696 on
Arm yourselves. They are begging for armed conflict. The least you can do is be prepared for when people try to loot your home
thegoddamnbatman40 on
Murders of Rene Good and Alex Pretti both should be more than turning points. If major news channels or newspapers had any courage they’d openly defy the system and call for a general strike. That’s not what the oligarchs want. The system is working for them.
ClimateNuremberg on
I want to tell y’all, too, I guarantee you that Renee Good’s murder was EQUALLY as horrifying if we had as much footage of it as we do of Alex Pretti’s. I’m certain that Alex Pretti got into those nazis’ heads. They felt emasculated in some way confronting a true American hero and couldn’t deal with the cognitive dissonance. I suspect Renee Good did something similar to Jonathan Ross. Maybe he was jealous of her loving same sex marriage.
These nazis are weak, small, dumb and petty. Never forget that.
It’s a Pretti Good time for a general strike.
Whis65 on
My feelings about my country are in a place I never thought would be possible. I am mourning a nation I now do not recognize.
Rambaz_69 on
Anyone who has seen Alex Pretti’s pictures, knows his profession, and has even a little insight into human nature can see that he is a very kind person and certainly no danger to anyone else. I hope that his relatives’ grief is shared by enough other people and that their sympathy will help them somewhat.
jairumaximus on
Both murders were a turning point. Not even knowing of all the others that have happened inside their camps that we won’t ever hear about.
Darth_Esealial on
How many turning points do we need lol
Moonsjunes on
It’s a grim turning point because a lot of American men see themselves in Alex Pretti. There are a lot of Alex Prettis in this country. Thirty-something professional white guys who love the outdoors, own guns, and want to help people. Right now, they’re feeling targeted and unsafe in their own country.
mickpatten78 on
Nah, the grim turning point for the US was when your government looked the other way after Uvalde…
Amthomas101 on
I wanted to believe that Sandy Hook would’ve been a turning point for gun violence in the U.S. There’s a large percentage of the population that cannot be reasoned with and/or simply lack empathy.
Zestyclose-Novel1157 on
I just want to know when people are going to start talking about Keith porter or if he just isn’t the ideal demographic.
tomgratz on
It’s only a turning point, and not a starting point, if we turn away. We, you and me, and our elected officials, must act now to change the course of events. Pam Bondi is an outlaw. Pete Hegseth is an outlaw. Steven Miller is complicit in these ICE deaths. Donald Trump continues to lie about everything. Lock them up ! Lock them all up !
mr_evilweed on
What’s that Winston Churchill saying? Americans will always do the right thing after they have tried every other possible alternative?
BoomMcFuggins on
Ummm, the killing of Renee Nicole Good was a turning point for me, Alex Pretti’s murder are steps further down the same road.
EDIT:
I fixed her name which I got wrong in the original post.
Granpa2021 on
That was a public execution by a fascist government. There is no other way around it
FnakeFnack on
I think we just said this two weeks ago when Good was murdered, right? So.
liebkartoffel on
We’ve had so many “grim turning points” at this point that I think we’re just walking around in circles.
Pillsburydinosaur on
Is it though? I remember when Sandy Hook happened. I cried. Nothing changed. After Uvalde my anger and frustration has left me. We don’t care anymore.
ryanasimov on
Sadly this will be forgotten and the country will move on to the next outrage within a week.
tiresian22 on
Please. Please. Please. Stop talking about turning points, day after day. As a Canadian grimly following what is happening to your country, you’re well past the turning point. Continuing to cal the latest atrocity a turning point seems to kick the ca down the road for someone else to pick up.
You turned the corner weeks, or even months ago. You live in a fascist country. The Fractured States of America. Time to start working towards a future where you can hold people accountable for their actions in this moment.
Gibder16 on
Also, anyone one see Trumps post? Word for word: “He had a gun. Only criminals carry guns on our streets, we need law and order.”
There you have it MAGA. It’s not libs coming for your guns, it’s dear leader. In what world does a dictator allow people to have guns? Didn’t think that one through did ya?
How are you gonna spin that comment?
zatchstar on
Let’s be real here… Sandy Hook was the grim turning point. Everything after that has just been another step down the stairs toward despair
TightSexpert on
Maybe everyone should stop paying taxes. Like why pay for such a bad service….
eastern-moose on
Really?
It seems to me there were an endless supply of “turning points” prior to when the killings began but Ok … now what?
mmps901 on
Bovino was just on cnn and said repeatedly that Alex assaulted officers. Dana kept asking for proof of that and he’d say that would come from the investigation. At one point he said he doesn’t even know if that gun was Alex’s or an officer’s. Like ignoring that dhs posted a stock photo of the gun within an hour. Unbelievable.
LieverRoodDanRechts on
The turning point was years ago. This is just the US further up that road.
Right_Hour on
They said the same about the killing of Renee Nicole Good.
The turning point will come when people start shooting back.
Rich_Housing971 on
Fuck Vox.
NOW it’s a grim turning point? Not when Renee Good was killed?
I hope people remember that part of the reason Trump is in office is because of the mainstream media, right? They LOVE him because he always creates news.
BlackJediSword on
Black and brown people have been warning white Americans for decades and it fell on deaf ears. Now suddenly we’re at a grim turning point.
amainerinthearmpit on
I thought Renee Good was supposed to be the turning point but here we are.
ArchdruidHalsin on
Nekima Levy Armstrong, Renee Nicole Good, and Alex Pretti have shown us that the federal government will incarcerate or execute you for using your rights. They will doctor the footage and smear your reputation with lies.
The contract is broken.
Respecting the authority of the federal government is completely conditional on our rights being guaranteed and protected.
There is no constitution. There is no law and order. There is no check or balance that can or will be imposed on this regime.
There is only might, wealth, and influence.
Use every right they try to take from you. If they are trying to take your rights, it is because they are afraid of what you will do when you exercise them.
43 Comments
Zack Beauchamp writes: “By this point, you’ve probably seen the videos — or at least heard about what’s in them. They show a man named Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who is filming ICE activity in Minneapolis, intervening when federal agents assault a woman. In response, the agents grab Pretti, force him to the ground, beat him, and ultimately shoot the defenseless man repeatedly. Pretti was pronounced dead on the scene.
“The footage of Pretti’s killing, shot from different angles by different bystanders, looks disturbingly similar to scenes in places like Syria and Iran — where people rising up against authoritarian regimes were silenced by baton and bullet. The resonance is especially chilling given the Trump administration’s response…
“These resonances suggest America is at a grim tipping point. The Trump administration’s actions augur an increasingly violent crackdown, one in which they attempt to secure power less by legal manipulation than by application of brutal force.
“Such a violent approach is unlikely to succeed in a country like the United States: Our domestic security forces are not equipped for the level of extreme brutality necessary to make it work in the face of growing public outrage.
“But how Trump responds to the democratic outpouring in the streets of Minnesota, and the growing unease among even some in his party, will determine just how dark and brutal the next few months will be.”
You can [read the rest for free with this gift link](https://www.vox.com/policy/476397/minneapolis-alex-pretti-ice-cbp-killing-shooting-video?view_token=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJpZCI6IjFkQTBldVdKdWciLCJwIjoiL3BvbGljeS80NzYzOTcvbWlubmVhcG9saXMtYWxleC1wcmV0dGktaWNlLWNicC1raWxsaW5nLXNob290aW5nLXZpZGVvIiwiZXhwIjoxNzcwNTY3MzE3LCJpYXQiOjE3NjkzNTc3MTd9.Fg4dBY_4JqrCXhiUt55OLE7CsF2i19rES8-ITte8tnA&utm_medium=gift-link).
I’ve heard that chuck schumer is going to use two curse words in the same sentence in his strongly worded letter now
*Murder
They murdered a white woman a couple weeks ago. If that wasn’t a turning point, why is this? Is it because she was a lesbian and he’s straight? I mean “protect the white women” is second only to “protect the rich” on the right. And until they budge, nothing will change and we have a king instead of a president
MILLIONS and MILLIONS saw the video and the subsequent lies because they were hunkering at home.
A captive audience forced to see the horrible reality of where we are as a nation.
The murder of Alex is an act of terrorism. By definition ICE agents are acting as terrorist. The population needs to record what happens, identify the agents, and report them to the FBI. Ensure you keep copies of videos and reports, it may not do much now but later the reports and information will be useful to bring these terrorist to justice.
The FBI defines terrorism as the unlawful use of force or violence against persons or property to intimidate or coerce a government or civilian population in furtherance of political or social objectives.
Good luck and stay safe.
“a grim turning point”
You fucking think so??
Turning point to where exactly ?
Every point has been grim. I’m all grimmed out. How about it actually being a turning point? That would be a nice change.
Alex Pretti didn’t take out his gun, didn’t point his gun. All the videos show that he never had his gun in hand. After the gun was removed from where it was secured on his body by a “bystander” was when the 9 or 10 shots were fired, killing. Yet, despite what the videos clearly show, numerous officials are not only saying he pulled a gun, they are saying he came there with the “intent” to “massacre” federal agents.
In this country, where we have the right to *carry* legal weapons, what does it turn out is the official word on this from the Administration that supposedly upholds our laws?
* kristi Noem: He was a “domestic terrorist” who “assaulted” officers and came there to “perpetuate violence.”
* Greg Bovino: Claimed Pretti had intent to “massacre law enforcement” and do “maximum damage.”
* Stephen Miller: Pretti was a “would be assassin” who tried to “assassinate federal officers.”
* Tricia McLaughlin (DHS): Pretti “approached US Border Patrol oficers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun” and “violently resisted being disarmed,” prompting “defensive shots.”
Narrative control. It’s all they’ve got, and they shamelessly resort to it when video directly contradicts it. And it won’t stop no matter how much video is available. Blaming the victim is their MO.
Hearing republicans and their leadership tell us that it’s not reasonable for someone to show up armed to a protest, even if they are licensed to be, is fucking wild. I swear I’ve crossed over into the bizarro world.
Edit: And I forgot to mention the NRA speaking out against that. Even more insane.
Sadly, it isn’t
Arm yourselves. They are begging for armed conflict. The least you can do is be prepared for when people try to loot your home
Murders of Rene Good and Alex Pretti both should be more than turning points. If major news channels or newspapers had any courage they’d openly defy the system and call for a general strike. That’s not what the oligarchs want. The system is working for them.
I want to tell y’all, too, I guarantee you that Renee Good’s murder was EQUALLY as horrifying if we had as much footage of it as we do of Alex Pretti’s. I’m certain that Alex Pretti got into those nazis’ heads. They felt emasculated in some way confronting a true American hero and couldn’t deal with the cognitive dissonance. I suspect Renee Good did something similar to Jonathan Ross. Maybe he was jealous of her loving same sex marriage.
These nazis are weak, small, dumb and petty. Never forget that.
It’s a Pretti Good time for a general strike.
My feelings about my country are in a place I never thought would be possible. I am mourning a nation I now do not recognize.
Anyone who has seen Alex Pretti’s pictures, knows his profession, and has even a little insight into human nature can see that he is a very kind person and certainly no danger to anyone else. I hope that his relatives’ grief is shared by enough other people and that their sympathy will help them somewhat.
Both murders were a turning point. Not even knowing of all the others that have happened inside their camps that we won’t ever hear about.
How many turning points do we need lol
It’s a grim turning point because a lot of American men see themselves in Alex Pretti. There are a lot of Alex Prettis in this country. Thirty-something professional white guys who love the outdoors, own guns, and want to help people. Right now, they’re feeling targeted and unsafe in their own country.
Nah, the grim turning point for the US was when your government looked the other way after Uvalde…
I wanted to believe that Sandy Hook would’ve been a turning point for gun violence in the U.S. There’s a large percentage of the population that cannot be reasoned with and/or simply lack empathy.
I just want to know when people are going to start talking about Keith porter or if he just isn’t the ideal demographic.
It’s only a turning point, and not a starting point, if we turn away. We, you and me, and our elected officials, must act now to change the course of events. Pam Bondi is an outlaw. Pete Hegseth is an outlaw. Steven Miller is complicit in these ICE deaths. Donald Trump continues to lie about everything. Lock them up ! Lock them all up !
What’s that Winston Churchill saying? Americans will always do the right thing after they have tried every other possible alternative?
Ummm, the killing of Renee Nicole Good was a turning point for me, Alex Pretti’s murder are steps further down the same road.
EDIT:
I fixed her name which I got wrong in the original post.
That was a public execution by a fascist government. There is no other way around it
I think we just said this two weeks ago when Good was murdered, right? So.
We’ve had so many “grim turning points” at this point that I think we’re just walking around in circles.
Is it though? I remember when Sandy Hook happened. I cried. Nothing changed. After Uvalde my anger and frustration has left me. We don’t care anymore.
Sadly this will be forgotten and the country will move on to the next outrage within a week.
Please. Please. Please. Stop talking about turning points, day after day. As a Canadian grimly following what is happening to your country, you’re well past the turning point. Continuing to cal the latest atrocity a turning point seems to kick the ca down the road for someone else to pick up.
You turned the corner weeks, or even months ago. You live in a fascist country. The Fractured States of America. Time to start working towards a future where you can hold people accountable for their actions in this moment.
Also, anyone one see Trumps post? Word for word: “He had a gun. Only criminals carry guns on our streets, we need law and order.”
There you have it MAGA. It’s not libs coming for your guns, it’s dear leader. In what world does a dictator allow people to have guns? Didn’t think that one through did ya?
How are you gonna spin that comment?
Let’s be real here… Sandy Hook was the grim turning point. Everything after that has just been another step down the stairs toward despair
Maybe everyone should stop paying taxes. Like why pay for such a bad service….
Really?
It seems to me there were an endless supply of “turning points” prior to when the killings began but Ok … now what?
Bovino was just on cnn and said repeatedly that Alex assaulted officers. Dana kept asking for proof of that and he’d say that would come from the investigation. At one point he said he doesn’t even know if that gun was Alex’s or an officer’s. Like ignoring that dhs posted a stock photo of the gun within an hour. Unbelievable.
The turning point was years ago. This is just the US further up that road.
They said the same about the killing of Renee Nicole Good.
The turning point will come when people start shooting back.
Fuck Vox.
NOW it’s a grim turning point? Not when Renee Good was killed?
I hope people remember that part of the reason Trump is in office is because of the mainstream media, right? They LOVE him because he always creates news.
Black and brown people have been warning white Americans for decades and it fell on deaf ears. Now suddenly we’re at a grim turning point.
I thought Renee Good was supposed to be the turning point but here we are.
Nekima Levy Armstrong, Renee Nicole Good, and Alex Pretti have shown us that the federal government will incarcerate or execute you for using your rights. They will doctor the footage and smear your reputation with lies.
The contract is broken.
Respecting the authority of the federal government is completely conditional on our rights being guaranteed and protected.
There is no constitution. There is no law and order. There is no check or balance that can or will be imposed on this regime.
There is only might, wealth, and influence.
Use every right they try to take from you. If they are trying to take your rights, it is because they are afraid of what you will do when you exercise them.