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Neuroscientist reveals why Alex Pretti reached for his back pocket as he was killed in ICE shooting
The tragic shooting of Alex Pretti by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents has raised numerous questions about the events leading up to his death.
A video posted on Tuesday by Derek Van Schaik, a forensic neuropsychology professional, sheds light on one crucial moment during the incident: the instant when Pretti reached for his back pocket just before being shot.
According to Van Schaik, a closer look at the video reveals that as agents back away and begin to fire at Pretti, he can be seen grabbing something from his back pocket.
The motion appears to be instinctive and reflexive, triggered by the dire circumstances he found himself in.
"Alex reportedly just had one gun," Van Schaik explains, but "it doesn't appear to be a gun because Gray Jacket Guy apparently already removed that from his person."
A natural defense reaction
While some have speculated that Pretti was attempting to draw a weapon, Van Schaik suggests that the object he grabbed was likely not a gun at all.
He proposes that it could have been a cell phone or, potentially, a magazine cartridge.
The forensic expert emphasizes that this was not a deliberate act of aggression but rather a defensive reaction to the gunfire he was enduring.
“Alex grabbing anything in that final moment is obviously not an indication he initially had nefarious intentions,” Van Schaik asserts.
This analysis challenges assumptions about Pretti’s intentions in his final moments.
Van Schaik argues that the action was simply a "natural psychological self-defense reaction" to the trauma Pretti was experiencing.
Faced with the overwhelming fear and confusion of the situation, his instinct was to grab something from his back pocket in an attempt to protect himself, unaware of the imminent threat to his life.
The complexity of split-second decisions
Van Schaik’s breakdown of the moment highlights the complex nature of human behavior under extreme stress.
In situations where life and death are in the balance, decisions are often made in a split second, driven by the brain’s natural fight-or-flight response.
“He felt his body was being sadly hit with bullets and that was just a natural desperate attempt to survive,” says Van Schaik.
This insight provides a deeper understanding of Pretti's final actions and challenges assumptions made by those who witnessed the tragic event.