Todd Blanche Says New Video of Pretti Kicking ICE Vehicle Will Not Change Shooting Investigation

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche insisted the new video of Alex Pretti kicking an ICE vehicle will not change the way his death is being investigated.

Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot and killed by federal agents last Saturday. At the time of the altercation, Pretti was legally carrying a handgun in his holster. When agents wrestled him to the ground, one of them appeared to remove the firearm from Pretti’s holster. Moments later, at least one agent opened fire on the presumably-unarmed Pretti.

Days later, footage surfaced of a man resembling Pretti accosting law enforcement officials while protesting ICE’s operations in Minnesota. In the video, the man could be seen spitting in the direction of the vehicle and giving the agents the middle finger. He also kicked out one of the tail lights before agents surrounded him and took him to the ground.

During a Friday press conference, Blanche was asked if the video changed the “perception” of the Department of Justice’s investigation, the deputy AG said:

Look, I don’t think a single video should change any perception the Department of Justice may or may not have about that tragic occurrence last Saturday. We’ve said repeatedly over the past week that of course this is something that we’re investigating, and that’s what we would always do in circumstances like this. And so there’s an investigation that’s ongoing, which I’m not going to talk about.

But just look, the problem is an initial reaction to a particular video, one or another. You’re talking about one that happened apparently some days ahead of of last Saturday. It’s an investigation, so an investigation necessarily means just that. It means talking to witnesses. It means looking at documentary evidence, sending subpoenas if you have to, and the Department of Justice Civil Rights Division has the best experts in the world at this. They’ve been doing it for decades, and so I expect that investigation will proceed with those parameters in mind.

Watch above via MS NOW.

New: The Mediaite One-Sheet "Newsletter of Newsletters"
Your daily summary and analysis of what the many, many media newsletters are saying and reporting. Subscribe now!