On the morning of January 24, 2026, at approximately 9:05 a.m. CST, Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse employed by the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, was shot and killed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent during a federal immigration enforcement operation in south Minneapolis. The fatal encounter, which has been captured on multiple bystander videos, has unleashed national controversy, widespread protests, and bipartisan calls for a full, independent investigation.
Pretti, a lifelong American citizen who lived in south Minneapolis and held an active nursing license, was deeply involved in his community and known by colleagues and patients as compassionate and dedicated. Prior to becoming a registered nurse in 2021, he earned a degree from the University of Minnesota and worked as a clinical research assistant. Friends and family described him as someone committed to helping others, an outdoors enthusiast, and a peaceful protester concerned about federal immigration enforcement tactics.
The operation that led to Pretti’s death was part of a larger federal crackdown on undocumented immigrants, dubbed “Operation Metro Surge,” launched earlier in January. According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Border Patrol and other federal officers were attempting to detain an individual they described as having a significant criminal history. Federal officials have claimed that Pretti approached agents while armed and “violently resisted” attempts to disarm him. They released an image of a handgun they said was recovered at the scene.
However, multiple eyewitness videos and testimony appear to contradict the federal account, showing Pretti with only a phone in his hand as agents pepper-sprayed him and pushed him to the ground before shots were fired. Witnesses and legal filings assert he did not brandish a weapon and instead seemed to be trying to protect a woman being shoved by federal officers.
The moments leading up to the shooting, from video evidence, depict a chaotic scuffle in an intersection near Nicollet Avenue, where federal agents moved aggressively against protesters. One clip shows an agent removing Pretti’s weapon from his waistband, followed by a burst of at least ten shots over a period of several seconds, killing Pretti. Local officials and protest observers have seized on these videos to challenge the federal narrative.
Within hours of the incident, hundreds of protesters gathered at the shooting site, condemning the killing as an unjustified use of force and demanding that federal immigration agents leave Minneapolis. Demonstrators blocked intersections, chanted slogans, and clashed with federal officers who deployed tear gas and stun grenades. Several protesters and at least one journalist were pepper-sprayed during the unrest, and two people were arrested after crossing police lines.
The shooting has struck a national chord, drawing reactions from lawmakers and leaders across the political spectrum. Former Presidents Barack and Michelle Obama denounced the killing as a tragedy and called for transparency and accountability, accusing federal authorities of using excessive force and undermining American values. Democratic leaders, including former President Bill Clinton, have echoed those calls, urging full investigations and public scrutiny of immigration enforcement in Minneapolis.
Even some Republican figures have urged a bipartisan inquiry, though others have defended the actions of federal agents, emphasizing the presence of a firearm and the complexities of law enforcement operations. DHS officials and Border Patrol leadership have publicly praised the agents involved, even as detailed evidence emerges that seems to challenge official accounts.
In the local community, Pretti’s death has left neighbors, colleagues, and veterans he cared for reeling. Co-workers remember him as a devoted caregiver, committed to veterans’ health and human dignity. The American Nurses Association (ANA) issued a statement expressing deep sorrow and calling for a thorough, unencumbered investigation, highlighting concerns about violence against healthcare workers and the safety of nurses on and off the job.
A GoFundMe campaign launched for Pretti’s family quickly raised nearly $700,000, far exceeding its initial goal, as supporters rallied online to honor his memory and help his loved ones cope with the sudden loss.
As the federal investigation continues and tensions simmer in Minneapolis, Pretti’s killing joins another high-profile fatal shooting by immigration agents earlier in January, intensifying debates over federal enforcement tactics, civil rights, and the balance between public safety and constitutional freedoms.
