Innocent Man Targeted with Death Threats
A 32-year-old store manager from a small Ohio town wakes up to a nightmare of online harassment after being wrongly identified as the federal agent who fatally shot Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. Evan Kilgore now fears for his life and his family’s safety following a flood of death threats across social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Threads.
Kilgore, who has never visited Minneapolis and holds no position in law enforcement, manages a local retail chain and occasionally comments on politics as an amateur online voice. On Sunday morning, he discovered thousands of posts labeling him a murderer and worse, with many users demanding his death or vowing to track him down.
‘People were saying they were gonna hunt me down… they were going to find me, find my address, find my family,’ Kilgore states, expressing his shock at the rapid escalation.
The Shooting That Sparked the Fury
Alex Pretti, a Veterans Affairs nurse, died during a protest in Minneapolis last Saturday when Customs and Border Protection agents attempted to detain him. Video footage captured from multiple angles shows Pretti being dragged to the ground and shot up to 10 times. Authorities have not yet publicly identified the agents involved, prompting widespread outrage and amateur investigations online.
‘I’m just a normal guy, I have nothing to do with this,’ Kilgore insists, providing evidence that places him far from the scene on the day of the incident.
Origin of the False Claim
The misinformation began when Atlantic City DJ and social media influencer Patrick Jeanty Jr., who has over one million followers, shared a video accusing Kilgore of the shooting. ‘This is the POS that unalived Alex Pretti in Minnesota! His name is Evan Kilgore,’ Jeanty wrote alongside Kilgore’s photo. He added, ‘I hope you are forever haunted by images of what you did to that man. I hope your family never finds peace.’
Jeanty later removed the original post but posted a follow-up without an apology. ‘Sorry not sorry, I don’t feel bad for you. I hope whatever comes your way, comes your way. I don’t care,’ he declared. ‘I don’t apologize to racist white men who actively want black and brown people to die.’
Escalating Threats and Police Response
The accusations quickly spread, leading to direct threats against Kilgore. One message warned, ‘Got your address so better sleep with one eye open you f**king monster.’ Another stated, ‘We are going to find you and take care of you murderer. You can run but you can’t hide. Your days are numbered.’ Users even called for his ‘head on a platter’ and hoped threats against him would be carried out.
Harassers soon targeted Kilgore’s parents, locating their address and sending menacing calls, including one with ominous clicking sounds while reading out the home’s details. Local police filed a report noting Kilgore’s concerns: ‘Evan expressed fear for his safety and the safety of his family.’ Officers stationed a squad car outside the family home for protection.
‘My parents are talking about leaving for a couple of weeks down to maybe Florida or something, and I’ve taken a couple days off of work due to the stress,’ Kilgore shares. ‘It’s just done an insane amount of damage to my reputation and has led me to have some legitimate fears for my safety. Even last night I was seeing some posts somebody was calling for me to be beheaded.’
Kilgore’s Background and Response
Kilgore, a self-described Christian nationalist, supports stricter immigration policies but has also critiqued Trump administration figures and opposed certain foreign policies. His online activity has drawn controversy, including a 2017 firing from Grace College & Seminary in Indiana over a mock rap album cover featuring racial stereotypes. The college president at the time, Bill Katip, called the photo ‘insensitive and inappropriate,’ emphasizing the need for respect toward all backgrounds.
In response to the threats, Kilgore repeatedly posted on Twitter clarifying his location in Ohio and urging an end to the harassment. ‘I hardly slept last night, I had to contact everyone in my family about safety concerns, I filed a police report, and I am reporting and documenting every single post and comment I see,’ he wrote.
Kilgore plans to pursue legal action against Jeanty for defamation and potentially others involved in spreading the false claims. Police are investigating Jeanty for possible criminal charges and treating the matter seriously.
