On January 24, 2026, federal immigration agents fatally shot 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse and U.S. citizen, during a controversial immigration enforcement operation in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis. Pretti’s death occurred amid heightened tensions over federal immigration raids that had drawn national attention and local protest.
According to bystander video and verified reporting, Pretti was on the street holding a phone and recording agents when he became involved in a physical struggle with several agents. Multiple videos show him initially filming officers and, at one point, attempting to assist a woman who had been shoved by agents. As the confrontation unfolded, an agent appears to remove a firearm from Pretti’s waistband during a scuffle, and within seconds more shots were fired at his body while he was on the ground.
Federal officials, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially defended the shooting by asserting that Pretti “approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun” and resisted disarmament, prompting what they described as defensive gunfire. Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry, but video reviewed by multiple outlets showed him with a phone in his hand and no visible weapon at the critical moments captured.
Family, friends, and coworkers characterized Pretti as a compassionate and dedicated nurse who cared deeply for his patients and community. Colleagues at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System remembered him for his empathy and professionalism, recounting moments when he went above and beyond for patients and families. His family disputes federal claims that he posed a threat and maintains that Pretti never brandished a weapon.
Pretti’s killing has become emblematic of broader concerns about the conduct of federal immigration agents operating in urban environments without the same training or oversight applied to local police departments. His death followed another federal shooting earlier in January in the same city, raising alarm among civil rights advocates, local leaders, and residents about the escalation of force during protests and enforcement actions.
In response to Pretti’s death, protests erupted not only in Minneapolis but in other cities and states, with demonstrators calling for accountability, transparency, and an end to federal immigration operations perceived as heavy-handed. Labor unions, community groups, and civil liberties organizations have condemned the shooting and urged federal authorities to withdraw enforcement teams and fully investigate the incident.
Minnesota officials took legal action to preserve evidence, securing a court order to prevent DHS from altering or destroying investigative material related to the shooting. At the same time, political debate intensified, with elected officials across the spectrum calling for investigations into federal tactics and the role of immigration enforcement in domestic law enforcement.
The killing of Alex Pretti has sparked a national conversation about the use of force by federal agents, the rights of bystanders and legal gun owners during protests, and the balance between immigration enforcement and civil liberties. As investigations continue and protests persist, Pretti’s death remains a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over federal authority and public safety.
Bibliography
News Sources
- Fox 9: Minnesota man, ICU nurse Alex Pretti shot and killed by Border Patrol agents during Minneapolis operation.
- Star Tribune: Here’s what to know about federal agents’ killing of Alex Pretti.
- AP News: The man killed by a US Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis was an ICU nurse, family says.
- KARE 11: Family of Pretti issues statement on his death.
- CBS News: Two federal hearings after Border Patrol kills Alex Pretti; Trump sending Tom Homan to Minnesota.
- Reuters: Federal immigration agents kill another US citizen in Minneapolis, sparking protests.
- Business Insider: AFL-CIO calls for ICE to leave Minnesota after Pretti shooting.
Summarized Reference Source
- Wikipedia: Killing of Alex Pretti (detailed incident summary and background).
