Minneapolis witnessed a surge of protests on Saturday after a U.S. Border Patrol officer fatally shot a man during a federal operation, deepening tensions in a city already shaken by a recent deadly shooting earlier this month. The incident has reignited debate over immigration enforcement and the use of force by federal agents.
Relatives identified the deceased as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an intensive care nurse employed at the Veterans Affairs hospital, as per a report on AFP. A U.S. citizen originally from Illinois, Pretti had been living in Minneapolis and was described by family members as compassionate and socially conscious.
According to his relatives, Pretti had been deeply disturbed by immigration raids conducted under President Donald Trump’s administration and had actively participated in demonstrations opposing such actions. His family said his activism intensified following the January 7 killing of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer.
Pretti’s father, Michael Pretti, said his son strongly opposed the detention of immigrants and the separation of families, viewing such practices as morally unacceptable. Family members stressed that his involvement in protests stemmed from personal convictions rather than confrontation.
The Department of Homeland Security confirmed that federal agents were conducting an operation linked to the administration’s immigration enforcement campaign when the shooting occurred. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said agents shot Pretti after he approached Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm handgun.
However, officials did not clarify whether the weapon was pointed or otherwise displayed. Bystander videos circulating online show Pretti holding what appears to be a phone, with no footage clearly depicting a firearm in his hands at the time of the encounter, as per reports.
The man holding a camera phone shot and killed by ICE in Minneapolis today was an ICU nurse who had no criminal record whatsoever. pic.twitter.com/1jq7B9TO03
— Wild at Heart (@Mason69Wild) January 24, 2026
Authorities said Pretti had no criminal record apart from minor traffic violations. The lack of clarity surrounding the moments leading up to the shooting has fueled public anger and demands for transparency.
