Federal Agents Fatally Shoot ICU Nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis
Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit (ICU) nurse working at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Minneapolis, was shot to death by federal agents during an immigration enforcement operation on January 24, 2026. Pretti, who had no serious criminal record, was killed after authorities said he approached officers with a handgun — a claim disputed by family members and bystander video footage. 0
The Department of Homeland Security and Trump administration officials defended the officer who fired the shots, and as of the latest reports the agent has neither been suspended nor charged. Pretti’s family has strongly rejected the federal narrative, calling parts of it “sickening lies,” and noted that he was reportedly holding only a phone in bystander video moments before he was killed. 1
The shooting took place during a broader federal immigration crackdown in Minneapolis that has already drawn protests and criticism from local officials, civil rights groups, and community leaders. Video recordings of the incident show agents pepper-spraying and tackling Pretti before shots were fired, a sequence that has further fueled public outrage and calls for an independent investigation. 2
Family members and colleagues described Pretti as a compassionate health care worker dedicated to helping others. The incident has intensified scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement tactics under the current administration and sparked protests in Minneapolis and beyond. 3
Source: World News Today – The Hindu (via syndicated international news feed)