Minneapolis Shooting: Ballistic Evidence
Video posted by @sentdefender of the January 24, 2026 shooting of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents shows two unexplained bright objects at pavement level at 4.917s (Frame 590) and 4.950s (Frame 594), coinciding with the first shot. Their identity — muzzle flash, ground-impact debris, ricochet, or something else — remains an open question. Use the synchronized player below to examine the evidence. Video is 120fps container with ~30fps unique content.
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Key Frames (Unique)
Frame 590 — 4.917s
Unidentified bright object at pavement level (456, 956), coinciding with first gunshot. Identity unknown.
Frame 594 — 4.950s
33ms later. Second bright object at (264, 959), 1.84 ft to the left. Apparent speed ~56 ft/s if same object.
Trajectory Analysis
Trajectory Reconstruction (Hypothetical)
IF the objects are ground-impact debris: Yellow = estimated bullet path (~49°). Cyan = debris arc. Red X = estimated ground impact. This is one interpretation — see open questions below.
What We Know
Observed: Two bright objects at pavement level, 33ms apart, 1.84 ft horizontal displacement. Apparent speed ~56 ft/s if they are the same object in motion.
Timing: Coincides with the first of 10 shots (0.88s before the fatal volley at 5.8–6.7s).
Location: Both objects appear at ground level (y ≈ 956–959 px), not at body height.
Open Questions
What are these objects? Hypotheses include: (a) ground-impact debris from a bullet fired into the pavement, (b) muzzle flash near the ground followed by ricochet splash, (c) a bullet fragment or pavement spall from a pass-through, or (d) an unrelated artifact.
Conflict with NYT: The New York Times reports the first shot was fired "at Mr. Pretti at close range" and that he "appears to go limp immediately after." Visible recoil in the shooter's arm confirms a shot was fired. If the first shot hit Pretti, the pavement-level objects could be exit debris (pass-through) — or could be unrelated to the gunshot.
56 ft/s is too slow for a bullet (9mm = 1200+ fps) but consistent with either impact ejecta (4–9% velocity retention) or an ejected casing (~25–50 fps). Four AI models independently assess ground-impact debris as most likely if a round struck the pavement.
This remains unresolved. Cross-referencing with other camera angles may clarify what these objects are.
Observed: Two bright objects at pavement level, 33ms apart, 1.84 ft horizontal displacement. Apparent speed ~56 ft/s if they are the same object in motion.
Timing: Coincides with the first of 10 shots (0.88s before the fatal volley at 5.8–6.7s).
Location: Both objects appear at ground level (y ≈ 956–959 px), not at body height.
Open Questions
What are these objects? Hypotheses include: (a) ground-impact debris from a bullet fired into the pavement, (b) muzzle flash near the ground followed by ricochet splash, (c) a bullet fragment or pavement spall from a pass-through, or (d) an unrelated artifact.
Conflict with NYT: The New York Times reports the first shot was fired "at Mr. Pretti at close range" and that he "appears to go limp immediately after." Visible recoil in the shooter's arm confirms a shot was fired. If the first shot hit Pretti, the pavement-level objects could be exit debris (pass-through) — or could be unrelated to the gunshot.
56 ft/s is too slow for a bullet (9mm = 1200+ fps) but consistent with either impact ejecta (4–9% velocity retention) or an ejected casing (~25–50 fps). Four AI models independently assess ground-impact debris as most likely if a round struck the pavement.
This remains unresolved. Cross-referencing with other camera angles may clarify what these objects are.
Cross-Reference: Other Analyses
Bellingcat identifies "a single gunshot… followed by nine other shots" — consistent with our finding of one event at 4.917s then the fatal volley at 5.8–6.7s. They identify the first shooter as the agent in the black beanie.
NYT reports the first shot was fired "at Mr. Pretti at close range" and he "appears to go limp immediately after." The shooter shows visible arm recoil. This suggests the first shot may have struck Pretti — which conflicts with our initial interpretation that it was fired into the ground. However, the NYT analysis does not address the bright objects visible at pavement level in this video.
NYT / WSJ / WaPo all report an agent removed Pretti's gun from his waistband before the shooting began. "Less than a second" after the gun was secured, shots were fired. Autopsy shows wounds in Pretti's back, upper chest, and neck.
Open question: What are the bright objects at pavement level? If the first shot struck Pretti (as the NYT suggests), these could be exit debris from a pass-through round hitting the pavement beneath him. They could also be muzzle flash, a casing, or an unrelated artifact. No existing public analysis has examined this detail.
NYT reports the first shot was fired "at Mr. Pretti at close range" and he "appears to go limp immediately after." The shooter shows visible arm recoil. This suggests the first shot may have struck Pretti — which conflicts with our initial interpretation that it was fired into the ground. However, the NYT analysis does not address the bright objects visible at pavement level in this video.
NYT / WSJ / WaPo all report an agent removed Pretti's gun from his waistband before the shooting began. "Less than a second" after the gun was secured, shots were fired. Autopsy shows wounds in Pretti's back, upper chest, and neck.
Open question: What are the bright objects at pavement level? If the first shot struck Pretti (as the NYT suggests), these could be exit debris from a pass-through round hitting the pavement beneath him. They could also be muzzle flash, a casing, or an unrelated artifact. No existing public analysis has examined this detail.