MINNEAPOLIS — The fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Jeffrey Pretti by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis has sparked fierce controversy and a fierce response from his family — who are rejecting the government’s account of what happened and demanding the truth be told.

On January 24, 2026, Pretti — a U.S. citizen and intensive care nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center — was shot and killed by U.S. Border Patrol agents during a massive immigration enforcement operation in the city, part of what federal authorities have called “Operation Metro Surge.”

Federal officials released a narrative that Pretti “approached agents with a handgun” and violently resisted attempts to disarm him, leading an agent to fire in self-defense. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said this was necessary to protect officers during a volatile operation.

But the Pretti family calls that version “sickening lies” and insists the evidence says something very different. According to bystander videos and multiple news reports, footage shows Pretti holding a phone — not raising a weapon — moments before he was tackled and shot. Local leaders, legal analysts, and crowd-sourced video reviews have disputed the initial federal claims, noting Pretti was filmed unarmed and attempting to help others during a protest when the struggle began.

Pretti’s loved ones have painted a starkly different portrait of him: a compassionate nurse, community caregiver, and U.S. citizen who was in the area to assist others affected by protests over federal immigration activity. In statements released after the shooting, the family described him as deeply devoted to his patients and his community, and insist that the official explanation does not align with the available video evidence.

The incident — the third involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis in recent weeks — has fueled widespread outrage, protests, and bipartisan calls for a full, independent investigation, with both state and federal authorities now locked in a tense battle over transparency and control of the evidence.

Minnesota officials have criticized the federal account and decried what they see as an attempt to shape public perception ahead of an independent inquiry. A federal judge has ordered that all body-camera and related footage must be preserved, intensifying the legal and political spotlight on the case.

Public reaction has spilled far beyond Minneapolis, with protests erupting in multiple cities and bipartisan lawmakers demanding accountability. Many advocates argue that the shooting raises broader questions about the tactics and oversight of federal immigration enforcement, especially as protests over earlier fatal encounters — including the January 7 killing of Renee Good — continue to roil the region and the nation.

As the investigation unfolds, Pretti’s family and supporters continue to push back against the federal narrative, insisting that video evidence contradicts official statements and demanding a transparent, independent probe into the circumstances of his death. The controversy has quickly become a flashpoint in the broader debate over immigration enforcement, federal authority, and the use of force on U.S. soil.