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Political leaders and community members across Minnesota and beyond are responding to the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse who was killed during a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis in late January 2026. The incident has intensified scrutiny of federal enforcement tactics, the use of force during public operations, and the transparency of investigations that follow deadly encounters.
According to federal officials, the shooting occurred during a targeted immigration enforcement action on a snowy residential street in Minneapolis. Officers with federal immigration authorities were attempting to detain individuals when a confrontation developed involving Pretti. Multiple bystanders recorded video of the incident, footage that has since circulated widely on social media and news platforms. The videos show a chaotic scene marked by raised voices, whistles from onlookers, and officers pushing members of the crowd back as they attempted to secure the area.
Federal authorities have confirmed that the incident is under active investigation and that multiple forms of evidence are being reviewed, including body-camera footage, bystander videos, and forensic findings. Officials have stated that the encounter escalated rapidly and that the use of force occurred in response to what they described as a perceived threat. They have urged the public to withhold judgment until the investigation is complete.
Pretti was identified by his family the following day. He was a U.S. citizen and a registered nurse working in the intensive care unit at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where colleagues described him as highly skilled, compassionate, and deeply committed to patient care. Nurses and physicians who worked alongside him said he was known for his steady demeanor in high-pressure situations and for treating patients—many of them military veterans—with dignity and patience.
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