The Left has a habit of leaping to conclusions before the facts are in, and once again, the rush to label law enforcement actions as “murders” or “executions” has outpaced reality.
Look no further than the January 7 shooting of Renee Good. She was shot and killed after ramming an ICE agent with her car, yet activists and progressive media immediately branded the incident a murder. Weeks later, the same pattern repeated itself with the January 24 shooting death of Alex Pretti, which was instantly declared an “execution” in left-wing circles.
Even Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem initially leaned into that narrative, publicly portraying Pretti as a domestic terrorist who allegedly arrived armed and intent on carrying out a mass-casualty attack. The problem is that the facts, as they’ve slowly emerged, don’t support that claim in full.
What is known is this: Pretti was carrying a firearm and did not have proper identification when he was shot. In Minnesota, that combination amounts to a petty misdemeanor carrying a $25 fine. It does not trigger confiscation of the firearm, and it does not revoke a concealed carry permit. That reality stands in stark contrast to the sweeping rhetoric that followed the shooting.
Compounding the confusion was muddled messaging from the highest levels of government. The public was told, including by President Trump, that firearms cannot be brought to political events. That statement is not universally true under the law, and the lack of precision only added fuel to an already chaotic situation. When the messaging is sloppy, the fallout is inevitable.
After Alex Pretti’s shooting, Noem & DHS issued statements that misinformed the public into believing he “brandished” a firearm, prompting his confrontation with agents
But video evidence shows those statements were misleading in 4 ways https://t.co/R9lfbQkwne
(1 of 3 posts) pic.twitter.com/YxdyOUwQy8
— Marc Caputo (@MarcACaputo) January 25, 2026
What has been missing from the start is the most important piece of evidence: body camera footage from the Border Patrol agents involved in the shooting. Until that footage is released and reviewed, any definitive claims about intent, justification, or misconduct are premature. That hasn’t stopped activists or politicians from drawing hard conclusions anyway.
Under mounting scrutiny, Noem has since walked back her initial remarks. Speaking to Fox News, she admitted that her characterization of Pretti as a domestic terrorist may have been based on incomplete or incorrect information relayed to her in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
“We were being relayed information from on the ground from CBP agents and officers that were there,” Noem said. “We were using the best information we had at the time.”
That admission underscores just how badly the situation was handled. The fallout was significant enough that President Trump stepped in personally, appointing Tom Homan to oversee deportation operations and attempt to restore order and coordination with local officials. CBP Chief Gregory Bovino was removed from Minneapolis altogether, a clear signal that heads were rolling.
From every angle, the optics were disastrous. Noem became the public face of the response, and instead of projecting control and clarity, the administration found itself mired in contradictions and damage control. What should have been a careful, fact-driven response turned into a political circus.
Now, rumors are swirling that Noem’s position at DHS may be in jeopardy. Whether she ultimately steps down remains to be seen, but the situation is undeniably grim. One thing is clear: when officials and activists alike go off half-cocked, the truth is usually the first casualty.
