The fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti during a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis on January 24 has become a flashpoint in a broader national discussion about the use of force by federal agents and accountability in such operations.
Pretti — who worked at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System and had no significant criminal history — was killed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent amid an ongoing federal immigration crackdown known as Operation Metro Surge. This marked the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal forces in Minneapolis this month, following the earlier death of Renée Good during another enforcement action.
In the immediate aftermath, Pretti’s name moved quickly from official bulletins into community memorials and vigils. Friends and coworkers remembered him as a compassionate caregiver who comforted veterans and was deeply committed to helping others.
What happened on the street that morning remains under investigation. Federal officials have maintained that the agent fired because Pretti approached officers with a weapon and resisted disarmament. However, multiple bystander videos and witness accounts circulating online show Pretti holding a phone in the moments before he was shot and do not clearly support the claim that he presented an imminent threat to officers. Some legal experts and former law enforcement officials who reviewed the footage have said it does not show Pretti acting in a way that would justify the level of force used.
In Minneapolis, residents have been documenting ICE and Border Patrol activity — including by filming agents — as part of ongoing protest responses to the federal enforcement surge. Such recording is lawful and often cited by locals as a civic duty to hold authorities accountable.
The site where Pretti was killed has become a place of mourning and protest, with candles and flowers left by community members. Demonstrations and vigils have echoed beyond Minneapolis, joining broader protests against federal immigration enforcement and sparking calls for independent investigation and greater transparency.
With multiple federal, state, and independent inquiries underway, questions about the use of force, the handling of evidence, and the relationships between local and federal authorities remain central to the public conversation.
