On January 24, 2026, Minneapolis awoke to another devastating loss. Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit (ICU) nurse, was fatally shot by federal officers during an immigration enforcement operation in the city. His death has ignited public outrage, deepened political tensions, and left a grieving family, shocked colleagues, and an entire community asking the same painful question: How did a man known for saving lives die this way?

Alex Pretti was not a criminal.
He had no violent history.
No felony record.

According to police, the only marks on his record were minor parking tickets.

A Second Fatal Shooting in One Month

Pretti’s death marked the second fatal shooting of a Minneapolis resident by federal agents in January alone, following the killing of 37-year-old Renee Good on January 7. The back-to-back incidents have intensified a growing conflict between federal authorities and Minnesota leaders, as federal officials claim both victims interfered with law enforcement operations, while state and local leaders argue that the escalating federal presence has brought fear, chaos, and unnecessary violence to the city.

As news spread on Saturday evening, reporters from the Minnesota Star Tribune reached two members of Pretti’s immediate family. His sister broke down in tears mid-conversation and could not continue speaking.

Shortly after, his parents, Michael and Susan Pretti, released a statement that painted a picture starkly different from the one federal officials were presenting.

“He Was a Kindhearted Soul”

“Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family, his friends, and the American veterans he served as an ICU nurse,” his parents said.

“Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately, he will not be here to see the impact he made.”

The family strongly rejected claims made by federal authorities, calling them “sickening lies.” According to them, Alex’s final moments were not aggressive or threatening. Instead, they say he was attempting to protect a woman while being pepper-sprayed by ICE agents.

“Please get the truth out about our son,” they pleaded. “He was a good man.”

A Law-Abiding Citizen and Dedicated Nurse

At a press conference, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed that Pretti had no criminal history beyond parking violations. He was also a lawful gun owner, holding a valid permit to carry a firearm in public—information later reiterated by Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.

Attorney General Keith Ellison formally confirmed Pretti’s identity later that evening.

Pretti lived in a modest fourplex on Garfield Avenue in a quiet south Minneapolis neighborhood, about a mile and a half from where he was killed. When reporters visited, no one answered the doors. A resident upstairs silently waved them away and closed the blinds. Hanging in one window was a sign that read: “Abolish ICE.”

The silence felt heavy—grief mixed with fear.

“He Was the Kind of Nurse You Trust With Your Life”

Among those mourning Pretti was Dr. Dimitri Drekonja, a physician at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center and one of Pretti’s closest colleagues.

“He was kind, friendly, and funny,” Drekonja said. “Working in an ICU means you face the sickest patients in the hospital. Some will die. You need technical skill, emotional strength, and compassion for families living their worst moments. Alex had all of that. He was great at it.”

Pretti joined the VA before earning his nursing degree in 2021, initially helping recruit patients for a research study. That role sparked a friendship between him and Drekonja, who later discovered they shared a love for mountain biking.

They rarely discussed politics, immigration enforcement, or gun ownership. Still, Drekonja said he was not surprised to learn Pretti was protesting ICE activity.

“The city is in a dark place,” he said quietly.

Disturbing Video and Lingering Questions

Videos of the incident have circulated widely, and for those who knew Pretti, they are unbearable to watch.

“I see a guy trying to help,” Drekonja said. “I see him under multiple bodies, and then I hear gunshots. It’s gutting. He was the kind of person you want as a friend, a neighbor—someone you trust.”

Remembered by a Family He Once Comforted

One of the most powerful tributes came from Mac Randolph, who recognized Pretti while watching news footage of the shooting.

Pretti had been the ICU nurse caring for Randolph’s father, Terry Randolph, a 77-year-old U.S. Air Force veteran, during his final days in December 2024.

“He spent three or four days with us,” Mac said. “He explained everything—what would happen when the oxygen was turned off. He was as compassionate as a human being can be.”

After Terry Randolph’s death, Pretti led the hospital’s “honorary walk,” pushing the gurney draped in an American flag as doctors and nurses lined the halls in silent salute.

“You could tell it wasn’t the first time he’d done that,” Mac said. “He knew how to honor a life.”

“Everybody Loved Him”

Dr. Julia Grigoriev, a hospitalist who worked alongside Pretti, described him as the “class clown” of the ICU—someone who used humor to help colleagues survive the emotional toll of their work.

“Everybody loved him,” she said. “He’d be the first one to jump in and help.”

She rejected the Department of Homeland Security’s claims outright.

“Bullshit,” she said bluntly. “Alex would never want to hurt anyone. That narrative is insulting.”

A Life of Service, Cut Short

Alex Pretti graduated from Preble High School in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 2006. He earned his degree from the University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts in 2011 and later worked as a junior scientist at the University of Minnesota Medical School. In 2021, he became a licensed registered nurse, a license that was valid through 2026.

His career was defined not by ambition or ego, but by service.

He stood beside veterans in their final breaths.
He guided families through unbearable grief.
He showed up—every shift, every crisis.

“There Will Be Justice”

At a news conference, Governor Tim Walz forcefully rejected federal officials’ early statements claiming the victim sought to harm law enforcement.

“Thank God we have video,” Walz said. “They’re telling people not to trust their eyes and ears. It’s nonsense. It’s lies.”

He confirmed that a full state investigation into the shooting is underway, just as it was following the January 7 killing.

“They will try to slander this individual,” Walz said. “But the truth will come out. There will be justice for Minnesotans.”

A Death That Should Never Have Happened

Alex Pretti lived his life caring for others at their most vulnerable. He died while trying to do the same.

He was not a threat.
Not a criminal.
Not an enemy.

He was a nurse.
A son.
A friend.

And his death has become a painful symbol of a system where compassion met violence—and lost.