alex pretti what happened

Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse at a Veterans Administration hospital in Minneapolis, was fatally shot by Homeland Security agents, including Border Patrol and ICE officers, on January 24, 2026. This incident marks the second fatal shooting by federal agents in the city that month, following Renee Good's death on January 7.

Incident Timeline

The shooting occurred around 9:03 a.m. near East 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue.

• Police responded to reports of a federal law enforcement-involved shooting; Pretti was found with multiple gunshot wounds and pronounced dead at a hospital.

• Witnesses captured video from multiple angles showing Pretti holding a phone, not a weapon, despite authorities claiming he approached officers with a 9mm handgun (for which he had a permit).

• CNN analysis indicated an officer removed a gun from Pretti moments before the fatal shots, while he was pinned down.

Pretti had been active in protests against Trump's immigration policies, raising local tensions amid heightened federal enforcement.

Official vs. Video Accounts

Federal Narrative: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and spokesperson Tr McLaughlin described Pretti as approaching armed and resisting disarmament, fearing for officers' lives; they highlighted two magazines with the gun to suggest intent for "maximum damage." President Trump shared a photo of the firearm on social media.

Video Evidence: Bystander footage contradicts this, showing Pretti aiding a fallen person before agents engaged; critics, including Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (on the prior incident), call the narrative "garbage." One clip allegedly shows an ICE agent clapping post-shooting.

State officials accused agents of obstructing crime scene access, and a doctor noted they counted bullet wounds instead of checking Pretti's pulse.

Community Response

Neighbors described Pretti as non-violent and shocked by the event; he was a dedicated nurse.

• Gov. Tim Walz activated the National Guard amid protests.

• Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin labeled him a "deranged" domestic terrorist, blaming local Democrats.

• Online forums like Reddit erupted in debate, with accusations of excessive force and celebrations by some pro-law-enforcement accounts.

This sparked calls to reinstate use-of-force restrictions on federal agents via lawsuit.

Broader Context

Pretti's death fueled national outrage over federal actions in Minneapolis, the third shooting there in January (one non-fatal on Jan. 14). Forum discussions trend with phrases like "execution" and "say his name," contrasting official defenses amid Trump's 2025 reelection policies.

TL;DR: Alex Pretti, a nurse protesting immigration raids, was killed by federal agents in a disputed shooting caught on video; conflicting accounts have ignited protests and political firestorms.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.