In a shocking incident that has sent shockwaves across the nation, Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse with no criminal record, was shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis on Saturday, January 24, 2026. The tragic event has sparked widespread outrage and renewed calls for accountability and reform.
Pretti, who had spent time working with the Department of Veterans Affairs, was reportedly filming an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation near 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue when the incident occurred. Eyewitness footage shows Pretti moving to assist a group of individuals on the sidewalk as ICE agents began pepper-spraying them. The agents then tackled Pretti, and a struggle ensued on the ground before multiple gunshots were fired, with at least 10 shots being fired within five seconds.
The federal government and President Donald Trump have claimed that Pretti approached the agents and threatened them with a gun, which they say was recovered from the scene. However, Pretti’s parents have refuted this narrative, stating that he was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry a weapon, and that he “cared deeply for people” and was protesting against the actions of ICE.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has confirmed that Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has also issued a statement claiming that Pretti was carrying two magazines’ worth of ammunition and did not have an ID on his person.
The killing of Pretti, like the recent shooting of Renee Good, has sparked widespread protests in Minneapolis. Governor Tim Walz has rejected the DHS’s attempts to paint Pretti as a violent criminal, stating that the shooting was “nonsense” and “lies.”
Democratic Senator and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries has also addressed Pretti’s killing, vowing to hold the agents involved criminally accountable. The Minneapolis Senate Delegation has expressed their deepest condolences to Pretti’s family and friends and pledged to do everything in their power to ensure that those responsible are held accountable.
As the investigation into this tragic incident continues, the nation grapples with the ongoing issues of immigration enforcement, police accountability, and the use of lethal force against citizens. The death of Alex Pretti has once again shone a spotlight on these critical issues, and the call for meaningful reform and justice grows ever louder.
