Tensions have intensified in Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a U.S. citizen, during an encounter with federal immigration officials early Saturday morning. Authorities said Pretti was shot multiple times shortly after 9 a.m. local time while federal officers were carrying out a targeted operation aimed at a different individual who was undocumented and wanted for assault. The incident has prompted public outrage, official scrutiny, and competing accounts of what unfolded.
The victim was an ICU nurse known for his love of the outdoors
Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis resident, was identified by officials as the man killed in the shooting. Pretti worked as an ICU nurse and lived in the city’s Lyndale neighborhood. Family members described him as deeply compassionate and socially engaged. His father, Michael Pretti, told the Associated Press that his son had taken part in protests 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.”
Pretti’s mother, Susan Pretti, also spoke with the Associated Press, saying her son was passionate about environmental issues and “took his dog everywhere he went.” Neighbors expressed shock at his death, describing routine interactions with him in the neighborhood. Jeanne Wiener, who lived next door to Pretti, told MPR News that she frequently spoke with him while he walked his dog nearby.
“He was a calm person; he’s a nurse,” Wiener said Saturday. “I’m mad. I’m angry. This was a good person. This is not a violent person.”
Colleagues echoed similar sentiments. Dr. Dimitri Drekonja, who worked with Pretti at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, described him as an “incredibly competent person” who excelled in his role. Speaking to MPR News, Drekonja said, “There is no reason for a guy like that to be dead, let alone to be killed by the agents of a government that employed him,” adding that Pretti was a kind person who enjoyed outdoor activities such as mountain biking. Pretti’s parents later said they were “sickened” by suggestions from Trump administration officials that their son was a “domestic terrorist.”
Federal officials defended the actions of Border Patrol agents
Federal authorities publicly defended the officers involved in the shooting. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Saturday that the agents “acted according to their training.” Noem alleged that Pretti had “brandished” a weapon and that he “attacked” officers during the encounter.
“This looks like a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement,” Noem told reporters at a press conference.
Officials stated that Pretti was carrying a 9mm semiautomatic handgun at the time of the incident. Gregory Bovino, a Border Patrol commander, said the agent who fired the shots was “highly trained” and had served as a Border Patrol officer for eight years. Bovino added that the shooting remains under investigation.
