Who was Alex Pretti? What we know about the 37-year-old man shot in Minneapolis

A US Border Patrol officer has shot and killed a man in Minneapolis, marking the second fatal shooting by a federal agent in the city this month. The victim has been identified by multiple media outlets as Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse from Minneapolis. This second shooting in Minneapolis comes amid heightened tensions following the arrival of federal immigration agents in the city and weeks of protests. Demonstrations escalated further after the fatal shooting of US citizen Renee Nicole Good on January 8. Like Good, Pretti was shot multiple times by a federal agent who, according to the Department of Homeland Security, said he feared for his life.

According to the Associated Press, the MN National Guard was deployed to assist local police at the direction of Governor Tim Walz. Guard troops were sent to both the shooting site and a nearby federal building, where law enforcement officials have been facing protesters on a daily basis.

Here is how 37 year old man shot in Minneapolis, as per the DHS

According to the Department of Homeland Security, the incident unfolded at 9:05 a.m. CT during a targeted law enforcement operation in Minneapolis aimed at apprehending an illegal immigrant wanted in connection with a violent assault.

DHS said that during the operation, an individual approached US Border Patrol officers while carrying a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun. Officers attempted to disarm him, but the individual violently resisted, leading to an armed struggle. DHS said further details of that confrontation are still forthcoming.

An agent, ‘fearing for his life and the safety of fellow officers,’ fired what DHS described as defensive shots. Emergency medical personnel on the scene provided immediate aid, but the individual was pronounced dead at the scene.

DHS added that the individual was carrying two magazines and no identification, and claimed the circumstances suggested an intent to cause significant harm to law enforcement personnel.

Following the shooting, DHS said around 200 people gathered at the site, with some obstructing and assaulting officers. Crowd-control measures were deployed, which DHS said were necessary to ensure the safety of both the public and law enforcement officers.

However, Minnesota gun laws permit openly carrying a handgun as long as the individual holds a valid permit, as noted by ABC News.

Who was Alex Pretti of Minneapolis shooting? Here is what we know so far

Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse from south Minneapolis and a US citizen, was fatally shot by federal officers during an immigration enforcement action on January 24. While authorities have not formally released the name, multiple news outlets, including the Minnesota Star Tribune, identified Pretti and contacted his family.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said during a press conference that the man killed in Minneapolis by ICE-linked federal agents was an American citizen and a “lawful gun owner” with a valid permit.

The American Nurses Association released a statement Saturday afternoon saying it “is deeply disturbed and saddened to learn of the death of Alex Pretti, a registered nurse, in Minneapolis earlier today,” adding, “We extend our condolences to Alex’s loved ones, colleagues, and the community at large.”


According to a colleague identified by The Guardian as Dimitri Drekonja, Pretti worked as a nurse within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

A former student at the University of Minnesota, Pretti was issued his nursing license in 2021, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.

Pretti’s father, Michael Pretti, told the AP that his son had been protesting against Immigration and Customs Enforcement because “he cared about people deeply and he was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis and throughout the United States with ICE, as millions of other people are upset.”