Alex Pretti’s death sits at the collision point of law, fear, and perception. To his ex‑wife, Rachel Canoun, he was a politically engaged man who legally carried a concealed handgun, owned at least one semiautomatic pistol, and never once used it to intimidate her. To federal agents on a Minneapolis street, he was a potential lethal threat whose split‑second movements justified deadly force. Between those two portraits lies the unanswered question: what truly happened in the seconds before the shots were fired.

As video footage circulates and experts dissect every frame, his lawful concealed carry status has become a symbol both sides claim. Gun rights advocates argue he embodied “responsible ownership,” while critics say any armed protester escalates risk. Canoun’s words don’t resolve the controversy; they humanize it. Her testimony forces the public to see beyond headlines and permits, and to confront how quickly a citizen can be transformed into a target.