Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and lawful firearm owner, was fatally shot by U.S. Border Patrol agents during an immigration protest in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026. Although federal officials claim Pretti brandished a handgun, verified video footage and witness accounts suggest he was only holding a mobile phone at the time of the fatal encounter.
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MINNEAPOLIS, MN (4-minute read) — The Twin Cities are currently embroiled in deep mourning and intense public outcry following the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse. On the morning of January 24, 2026, at the intersection of 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue, Pretti was repeatedly shot by U.S. Border Patrol agents during an ongoing demonstration against federal immigration enforcement operations. This tragic event marks the third time in a mere seventeen days that federal officers have discharged firearms in Minneapolis, a trend that has pushed community tensions to a boiling point.
Pretti was not just a face in the crowd; he was a dedicated professional who worked long hours as an ICU nurse at a local Veterans Affairs hospital. His parents described him as a man with a “great heart” who cared immensely about the direction of the country and the humanitarian concerns surrounding recent immigration crackdowns. Alex was an avid outdoorsman, a graduate of the University of Minnesota, and a former research scientist who had never had a serious interaction with law enforcement beyond basic traffic citations.
The Discrepancy Between Official Claims and Video Evidence
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a statement shortly after the incident alleging that Pretti had “approached” agents while brandishing a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. They claimed agents used defensive fire after an attempt to disarm him with pepper spray failed. However, a visual analysis by national news outlets of bystander videos tells a significantly different story. The footage captures several agents wrestling Pretti to the ground, with ten shots being fired in under five seconds. Critically, the videos verified by experts indicate that Pretti was holding a smartphone, not a weapon, during the confrontation.
The video below seems to show an officer’s hand on Pretti’s gun, who then is able to remove it from the holster. The officer who fired first might have thought that it was Pretti who had his hand on the gun during the chaos, ultimately firing.
Additionally, after the firearm was removed from Pretti, we can see the same officer running away with a gun that looks like the gun that ICE stated belonged to Pretti.
ICE IS LYING: SEE FOR YOURSELF
Anyone with eyes can see that Alex Pretti did not start this.
He went over to help a woman that ICE violently shoved down. They pepper-sprayed him and then 5 agents jumped on top of him.
He was legally armed and never went for his gun. Another… pic.twitter.com/ZgCdFJzo0q
— Brian Krassenstein (@krassenstein) January 25, 2026
Pretti was indeed a lawful gun owner who held a valid Minnesota permit to carry, a fact confirmed by local officials. His family and neighbors, however, expressed profound surprise at the suggestion that he would carry a pistol on the streets or engage in a physical confrontation. They described him as someone who might verbally express his dissent but was never known to be violent. The contradiction between the federal account and the digital evidence has led to immediate calls for a transparent and independent investigation by the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
A City Under Siege and the Demand for Accountability
The fallout from the shooting was immediate. Within an hour, hundreds of protesters gathered at the site, where they were met with tear gas and stun grenades from federal agents. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has even reported that DHS officials attempted to block local police from accessing and securing the scene. State leaders, including Governor Tim Walz, have condemned the operation, stating that “Minnesota has had it” with the escalating federal violence on their streets.
As the investigation moves forward, the Pretti family continues to struggle for clear information from federal agencies. For now, the city remains a flashpoint of a larger national struggle over federal power, civil rights, and the safety of citizens who choose to exercise their right to protest.
Safety Tip: When participating in high-stakes public demonstrations where federal agents are deployed, situational awareness is your most vital tool. To minimize risk, keep your hands clearly visible at all times, maintain a safe distance from active law enforcement operations, and avoid any movements that could be perceived as reaching for a weapon. De-escalation and creating space are always the safest options when tensions are high.
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