By USA New Times Staff Minneapolis, MN — Tensions in Minneapolis have reached a boiling point following the fatal shooting of a 37-year-old nurse by federal agents on Saturday morning. The incident, the second fatal shooting by federal authorities in the city this month, has drawn sharp condemnation from local officials and the victim’s family, who dispute the official justification for the use of lethal force.
The victim has been identified as Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen and nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. While the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) asserts that agents fired in self-defense against an armed man, eyewitness video and statements from city leadership contradict the federal account.
The Incident
The shooting occurred at approximately 9:05 a.m. local time near Nicollet Avenue and 26th Street in south Minneapolis.
Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino stated that agents were conducting a “targeted” immigration enforcement operation when they were approached by Pretti. Bovino claimed Pretti was armed with a “9mm semi-automatic” handgun and “violently resisted” attempts to disarm him, prompting an officer to fire “defensive shots.”
However, bystander video circulating on social media paints a chaotic picture that challenges the federal narrative. Footage appears to show Pretti filming the agents with a smartphone in the middle of the street. In one clip, an agent pushes a woman; Pretti is seen stepping between them, shielding the woman with his arm.
The footage shows an agent pepper-spraying Pretti, who turns away with one hand raised and a phone in the other. He is subsequently tackled by at least six agents. Amid the scuffle, one officer appears to pull back, and moments later, ten gunshots ring out.
The Dispute Over the Weapon
Following the shooting, the DHS released a photograph of a firearm and two magazines of ammunition, alleging they belonged to Pretti. Commander Bovino characterized the incident as a situation where an individual intended to “massacre law enforcement.”
This characterization has been met with skepticism by local authorities. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara revealed that Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry and no known criminal history other than parking tickets. O’Hara also noted that DHS had failed to provide local police with specific details regarding the deadly encounter.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the agents’ actions, stating, “I don’t know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign.”
“Sickening Lies”
Pretti’s parents, Michael and Susan, issued a scathing statement accusing the administration of spreading “sickening lies” about their son. They maintain that the video evidence proves Pretti was holding a phone, not a gun, when he was tackled.
“Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse,” the family wrote. “Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man.”
Political Fallout
The shooting has deepened the rift between state and federal officials regarding the ongoing immigration crackdown. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) fiercely criticized the DHS account.
“Thank God we have video because, according to DHS, these seven heroic guys took an onslaught of a battalion against them,” Walz said. “It’s nonsense, people. It is nonsense, and it’s lies.”
This incident follows the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by an immigration agent just two weeks prior, fueling renewed protests and calls from Minneapolis leaders for federal agents to withdraw from the city immediately.
