Man shot by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis: leaders speak out
January 24th, 2026
By Alicia Underlee Nelson
A 37-year-old man from Minneapolis was shot during an incident involving federal immigration officers on Jan. 24. Hospital records obtained by the Associated Press (AP) stated that the man was pronounced dead at Hennepin County Medical Center. The victim was identified as Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen and ICU nurse.
The event occurred near 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue in the Whittier neighborhood on Saturday morning. This stretch of Nicollet Avenue in south Minneapolis is known as Eat Street and features blocks of diverse, locally owned restaurants, bakeries and coffee shops. The City of Minneapolis confirmed awareness of the incident with a statement on X at 9:48 a.m. on Saturday. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) vehicles arrived on the scene just after 11 a.m.
Eyewitness video filmed by bystanders across Nicollet Avenue shows at least six officers in masks and tactical vests wrestling Pretti to the ground. One officer strikes him while he is restrained by other agents. A shot is fired as Pretti appears to struggle (or be pulled) upwards. Several more shots ring out as he falls onto his back and remains still.
“At 9:05 AM CT, as DHS law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted operation in Minneapolis against an illegal alien wanted for violent assault, an individual approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun, seen here," states a Department of Homeland Security post on X logged at 11:31 a.m. on Jan. 24. "The officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted. More details on the armed struggle are forthcoming. Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots. Medics on scene immediately delivered medical aid to the subject but was pronounced dead at the scene.”
Bystander video shows officers backing away from the victim immediately after the shooting. Pretti lies motionless as observers scream and shout to each other to call 911. Onlookers shared additional videos throughout the day on Saturday. This footage showed the shooting from different angles and viewpoints.
In a Saturday press conference, Police Chief Brian O'Hara of the Minneapolis Police Department confirmed that Pretti was a legal gun owner who had a permit to carry a firearm. He added that Pretti had no known interactions with the police and no criminal record aside from parking tickets.
The shooting occurred a day after thousands of people marched through downtown Minneapolis, protesting the presence of officers in the city and across Minnesota. At least 75-100 people gathered near the shooting site following the incident on Saturday. They were characterized as “rioters” in the previously mentioned DHS statement on X. Officials deployed chemical agents and flash bangs into the crowd.
Minnesota's leaders responded to the shooting quickly. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey addressed the media at a Saturday press conference.
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