Newly reviewed video footage is raising serious questions about the death of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse and U.S. citizen who was shot by federal agents during an immigration enforcement operation on January 24 in Minneapolis. The killing has sparked protests locally and nationwide, intensified by the fact that Pretti is the second Minneapolis resident killed by federal agents this month.
Pretti’s family, speaking through CNN, described him as a compassionate caregiver devoted to patients and veterans. Early reporting by the Minnesota Star Tribune captured the family’s shock as news broke. At a candlelight vigil, mourners remembered a man they say wanted to make a positive difference and was taken before he could see his impact.
Federal officials, including the Department of Homeland Security, initially said agents fired after encountering an armed individual who resisted officers. But multiple videos now under review appear to show Pretti holding a cellphone and recording as agents approached; no firearm is clearly visible in his hands before shots were fired. During a brief struggle, an officer appears to retrieve an object from Pretti’s waist area, with gunfire following almost immediately.
Audio captured after the shooting—referencing “where’s the gun?”—has become central to questions about timing and necessity of lethal force. DHS says all evidence is being reviewed, while Pretti’s family disputes the government’s account and is demanding full transparency, including release of all body-camera footage and communications tied to the operation.
