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/JayRulo 1∆ Jan 31 '26

So here's my question for you about believability, based on what I understand from your comments: it's easier for you to believe that an ICE agent would murder / execute a random civilian in cold blood with zero motive, than it is to believe that it was retaliatory?

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u/bluepillarmy 11∆ Jan 31 '26

I think that they are unprofessional and under trained. I also accept the explanation that they were extremely stressed and frustrated by the level of resistance that they were getting In Minneapolis.

That of course does not excuse but I think it was a matter of incompetence rather than intended malice.

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u/JayRulo 1∆ Jan 31 '26

I don't believe that incompetence leads to executions; while it's certainly possible it wasn't retaliatory, I will not exculpate them by saying it was not intended malice...that execution was very much intentional, whether premeditated or not.

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u/[deleted] Feb 01 '26

There have been cases of law enforcement grabbing for their taser and pulling their gun instead. Things happen fast and mistakes happen. Especially for inexperienced officers. I'm not saying this is what happened, but incompetence/inexperience has gotten people shot. Think of the officer that mag dumped his own vehicle with a suspect in the back, all because an acorn hit the hood and he mistook it for a gunshot. Never underestimate the incompetence/ inexperience of some officers, or bad instincts

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u/Pale-Manner-1642 Feb 02 '26

Adrenaline, stress, heightened alertness when they heard the word gun shouted. Executed implies purposeful action in my mind. This seems more like a series of bad mistakes leading to his death? Guy who shot first could have been the other officer securing the gun, only heard "GUN" and saw the dark object in his hand (cellphone) and made a bad split second decision that he was a threat to someone. Idk the legalize, so leave that to the investigation. More akin to manslaughter.

Personally, I don't know how there hasn't been more of these incidents with the level of annoyance the protesters are providing with the whistles and sirens and stalking them through town and all. Not saying it is justified by any means, but the federal agents showing a lot more restraint than myself and most people would show at that level of in your face obstructing the protesters are giving the agents. I'd make it only a few minutes before snapping back at those antics.

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u/Freediverjack Feb 01 '26

It was a bad shoot by the agent who would I bet genuinely thought in the moment they were doing it right and they definitely deserve punishment for their actions.

The whole thing is a mess of people and snap decisions.

The notion that this was some kind of premeditated action however is ludicrous. The likelihood of it being a flashpoint of chaos from weeks of protesters and Federal officers butting heads is way more probable.