Alex Jeffrey Pretti, 37, a Minneapolis intensive care unit nurse, was shot and killed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection officers on January 24, 2026, during a large federal immigration enforcement operation in the city.

He was a U.S. citizen with no significant criminal record and worked at the Veterans Affairs hospital. 🏥🇺🇸

The fatal encounter occurred amid Operation Metro Surge, a controversial immigration enforcement campaign by the Department of Homeland Security and ICE that deployed thousands of federal agents to Minnesota and drew widespread protests. Pretti was near the scene when federal agents engaged with observers and demonstrators.

Federal officials say agents fired in self-defense after claiming Pretti approached them armed and resisted disarmament. However, family members and multiple bystander videos dispute those claims, showing Pretti holding his phone and not a weapon when he was shot, and attempting to help someone who had fallen. 🧑‍⚕️📱🔎

Pretti’s death sparked anger and protests in Minneapolis and beyond, with many calling for accountability, transparency, and a thorough investigation into the actions of federal agents. 🚨📢

The case remains under investigation, and questions persist about what truly happened that day and whether the use of lethal force was justified. ⚖️