Newly released video footage shows Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, in a separate confrontation with federal agents in Minneapolis about 11 days before he was fatally shot by Border Patrol officers on January 24, 2026. In the earlier encounter, bystander video appears to show Pretti engaging with officers during ongoing demonstrations and being brought to the ground by multiple agents.
Pretti’s death has become a focal point in discussions about federal immigration enforcement practices and public safety. Authorities have stated that agents fired in self-defense after confronting Pretti and claiming he posed a threat. An official notice to Congress confirmed that two federal officers fired their weapons in the January 24 incident, during which Pretti was shot multiple times.
Video and eyewitness accounts reviewed by multiple news outlets show Pretti being restrained on the ground when shots were fired. Some reports indicate that an agent removed a handgun from his waistband before further shots were fired, though interpretations of these moments vary and are under scrutiny.
Pretti’s family and their legal representatives have raised questions about the circumstances of his death, emphasizing that he was legally armed and that bystander footage shows him recording with a phone before the shooting. They dispute aspects of the official account and have sought legal action and investigation.
The shooting occurred amid a broader federal immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota, which has drawn protests and heightened tensions after multiple encounters between federal agents and civilians. Pretti’s death, following another fatal shooting earlier in January, has led to demonstrations, vigils, and calls for accountability from community members and public officials.
The situation remains under investigation by federal and local authorities, and differing narratives are continuing to unfold as more information becomes available.