Fellow nurses honour Alex Pretti after US federal agents shot him dead

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Colleagues of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, have paid tribute to him following his death during a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis.

Pretti, a U.S. citizen and registered nurse known for caring for critically ill veterans, was shot by federal immigration agents on January 24 on the city’s south side. His death has sparked public outrage and renewed debate over the conduct of federal law enforcement during immigration operations.

Over the weekend, hospital staff held informal tributes in his honour. A video that circulated widely on social media, posted on Monday by the account @Pamphlets, showed a staff member standing beside the body of a deceased veteran draped in the American flag, while delivering a formal final salute. The footage has drawn attention as colleagues recalled Pretti’s dedication to his patients.

Authorities said Pretti was taken to hospital with multiple gunshot wounds, where he was later pronounced dead. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed the sequence of events. Federal officials initially said the shooting occurred in self-defence, alleging that Pretti approached agents with a handgun.

That version of events has been rejected by Pretti’s family, eyewitnesses, and video recordings captured by bystanders.

In a statement, his parents, Michael and Susan Pretti, expressed grief and anger over their son’s death and criticised what they described as false official accounts.

“We are heartbroken but also very angry,” they said. “Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family, his friends, and the American veterans he served as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world.”

The parents dismissed claims that their son posed a threat and said he was unarmed at the time he was shot.

“I do not throw around the term ‘hero’ lightly,” they said. “However, his last thought and act was to protect a woman. The lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible. He was holding his phone, his other hand raised, while being pepper-sprayed and trying to shield someone who had been pushed to the ground.”

They also called on the public and the media to review available video evidence and, in their words, “get the truth out.”

The Department of Homeland Security has continued to defend the actions of its agents, stating that a Border Patrol officer fired after perceiving an imminent threat. However, several videos circulating online appear to show Pretti holding only a cellphone shortly before the shooting. This discrepancy has drawn criticism from civil rights groups and some local officials.

At the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, staff members described Pretti as a calm and compassionate caregiver. Colleagues gathered near the hospital entrance to lay flowers and share memories, while expressing grief and anger over his death.

One video that has been widely shared shows Pretti offering a final salute to a deceased veteran who had been under his care. Many have described the moment as a reflection of his commitment to those he served.

“He did difficult, often invisible work every day for veterans who depended on him,” one VA nurse said. “That dedication doesn’t disappear because of the way he died.”

Local authorities confirmed that Pretti was a licensed gun owner with a valid permit, but they have not established whether he had a firearm on him or displayed one during the encounter. Witnesses said he tried to assist another protester before agents pepper-sprayed him and restrained him. Shots were fired shortly after.

The incident is the second fatal shooting involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis within recent weeks. It has triggered protests, intensified scrutiny of enforcement tactics, and renewed calls for accountability from federal authorities.