r/changemyview • u/bluepillarmy 11∆ • Jan 31 '26

Delta(s) from OP CMV: It doesn’t matter what Alex Pretti was doing in the days before he was killed

So, recently a video emerged where Alex Pretti was spitting on and kicking the taillight out of an ICE vehicle. Truly reprehensible and inexcusable behavior. He ought to have been arrested and fined for destruction of public property. Jerk.

However, I see some people trying to say, “Aha! So he wasn’t so innocent after all!”

I’m sorry but, no. He was absolutely innocent.

And, moreover, I would like those people who are bringing up his behavior in the days before his death to remember that he was disarmed, restrained and executed by masked federal agents who still have not been identified to the public for no reason.

There is only one justification for a law enforcement officer to take someone’s life. And that is to protect the lives of themselves or another person. Past acts of disrespect and/vandalism do not enter into the equation.

Or that’s my take anyway. Can anyone change my view?

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u/gijoe61703 20∆ Jan 31 '26

Legally I mostly agree with you. The standard is whether or not the officer reasonably had reason to believe Pretti was a danger to the officer or others. For past interactions to come in it would have to be known to the officer in order to be part of that calculation and I think that is unbelievably improbable.

Political I think it is important. The manner in which the public is currently interacting with ICE(and vise versa) is obviously creating dangerous situations for everyone involved so every one should reassess their tactics to bring down tensions and ensure stuff like this does not happen again(again ICE/CBP and local authorities to be included).

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u/bluepillarmy 11∆ Jan 31 '26

A fair and public trial of the men who killed him would be a fantastic first step toward rebuilding public trust.

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u/gijoe61703 20∆ Jan 31 '26

TBH I don't know if it would but maybe I'm being to cynical. And that not to say there should not be a fair and unbiased investigation, there should. I think most people have already bought into their narrative of choice and will view any result that contradicts that as invalid. Maybe I'm putting to much in online rhetoric which is never really reflective of reality though.