Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino gives jaw-dropping defense for fatally shooting Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti

Trump Administration Border Patrol chief Greg Bovino struggled to clearly answer questions from CNN’s Dana Bash on Saturday about the shooting of a legally armed US citizen on Sunday.

When Bash asked whether Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti had drawn her gun to threaten law enforcement, Bovino did not give a clear answer.

“We know that the suspect brought a weapon to the riot, a nine-millimeter high-capacity pistol,” Bovino told Bash.

Bovino continued: “We know that the video you just showed of what happened in the intervening moment will come to light through the investigation that is under way, and that these facts and questions will be answered very soon.” continued Bovino.

The border patrol leader also claimed that his agents, who were present at the time of the incident, were the real victims of the situation when asked if Bash accused Pretti of filming the scene.

“The victims, the victims are Border Patrol agents,” Bovino claimed, then added that Pretti “got himself into that situation” and doubled down on “the victims are Border Patrol agents over there.”

Video footage released Sunday revealed the moments leading up to the death of 37-year-old Pretti, who was shot and killed by a border agent in Minneapolis on Saturday.

The frames showed Pretti just before the fatal shooting at 9 a.m. near the Glam Doll Donuts at 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue.

Pretti was seen confronting the agents with his phone in his hand pointing towards them.

Minneapolis man shot and killed during a confrontation with federal agents has been identified as Alex Jeffrey Pretti

One of the agents pushed Pretti to the sidewalk, where the argument continued.

Another video, apparently taken a few minutes later, showed Pretti struggling with federal agents just seconds before he was shot.

As he tried to push the officer away, the agent pulled out pepper spray and began throwing the canister at Pretti’s face.

As Pretti and two other civilians struggled with the officers, more agents rushed toward him.

Scores of officers and civilians collapsed to the ground as bystanders shouted and honked their horns.

As more and more agents rushed towards the fray, multiple gunshots rang out and Petti was killed.

At a news conference, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said the dead man had no serious criminal history and only had a record showing a few parking tickets.

Law enforcement sources said Saturday that his records showed Pretti had no serious criminal history.

Pretti was revealed to have filmed the interaction before he was allegedly shot

O’Hara said the man was a licensed ‘legal gun owner’.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told the Daily Mail that the victim was armed with two magazines and the gun was later seized by federal authorities.

DHS shared a photo of a firearm seen in the passenger seat of a car.

DHS later shared its statement on the shooting at X, saying the deadly incident began as a ‘targeted operation against an illegal alien wanted for violent assault.’

“An individual approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun,” the department wrote. ‘Officers attempted to disarm the suspect, but the armed suspect violently resisted.’