The city of Minneapolis is grappling with renewed tension following the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old United States citizen, registered nurse and intensive care unit caregiver, who was killed by federal agents earlier today. The incident has drawn widespread attention after emerging video footage and witness testimony appeared to challenge the official account provided by federal authorities.
According to federal officials, agents believed to be from Border Patrol were conducting an immigration enforcement operation when they encountered Pretti. Authorities claim he approached officers while armed, resisted instructions, and was shot during the confrontation. However, those assertions are already being disputed by video evidence that has circulated publicly and has been verified by multiple sources.
The footage shows federal agents forcing Pretti to the ground, restraining him on the pavement, and one officer striking him before a rapid series of gunshots is heard. At least ten shots appear to have been fired within a matter of seconds. Crucially, Pretti does not appear to be holding a firearm in the video. Instead, witnesses and visual evidence suggest he was holding a mobile phone at the time he was shot.
Local officials and Pretti’s family have confirmed that he had no criminal record and legally possessed a firearm licence, facts that have further fuelled questions about the necessity and proportionality of the force used. Friends and neighbours have described him as a dedicated healthcare professional who worked in intensive care, caring for critically ill patients, including during periods of extreme pressure on the health system.
In response to growing public anger, the Minnesota National Guard has been deployed as protests spread across parts of the city. Demonstrators are demanding transparency, accountability, and the release of all body camera footage related to the incident. Community leaders have also called for an independent investigation into the actions of the federal agents involved.
This shooting is not an isolated case. It marks the third fatal federal shooting in Minneapolis within a three-week period linked to the same immigration enforcement operation. Earlier this month, another U.S. citizen, Renée Good, was killed in a separate incident, further intensifying concerns about how these operations are being conducted and their impact on local communities.
Civil rights groups argue that the increased presence of heavily armed federal agents has created an atmosphere of fear, even among citizens with no connection to immigration enforcement. Critics say the pattern of incidents points to systemic issues in the use of force and oversight, rather than a series of unfortunate coincidences.
As investigations continue, many residents are struggling to reconcile how a healthcare worker, neighbour and citizen could lose his life in such circumstances. For Pretti’s family and loved ones, the focus remains on seeking truth and justice, while the broader public debate centres on accountability and the limits of federal authority.
Authorities have stated that more information will be released in the coming days. Until then, Minneapolis remains on edge, waiting for clarity in a case that has already left a deep mark on the city.
Our thoughts remain with the family, friends and colleagues of Alex Jeffrey Pretti during this difficult time.
![A worker checks labelling of bottles of beer at the production line of Dutch brewer Heineken factory on June 7, 2011 in Schiltigheim, eastern France, during an official visit announcing the group's goals for sustainable development, by reducing the amount of glass in some beer bottles' production, and lowering by 20 percent the energy needed at its Alsacian factory. [Photo by PATRICK HERTZOG/AFP via Getty Images]](https://myvirgo.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/heineken-plant-150x150.jpeg)
