Alex Jeffrey Pretti Minneapolis, Minnesota Obituary – A 37-year-old Minneapolis man identified as Alex Jeffrey Pretti was shot and killed by federal law enforcement officers in south Minneapolis on January 24, 2026, city officials confirmed in the afternoon following widespread protests and intense scrutiny of the incident.
Authorities say officers from the Department of Homeland Security were conducting a targeted enforcement operation when Pretti approached them armed with a handgun and resisted efforts to disarm him. In the ensuing confrontation, a U.S. Border Patrol agent fired what federal officials described as “defensive shots,” striking Pretti. Despite immediate medical attention, he was pronounced dead following the shooting.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara stated that Pretti was a U.S. citizen and lawful gun owner with only minor previous interactions with law enforcement, primarily for traffic-related infractions. Local officials said his name was later confirmed by his family, who described him as a resident of south Minneapolis and noted his work as an intensive care unit nurse. The Department of Homeland Security said Pretti was carrying a handgun and two magazines at the time officers encountered him.
The shooting occurred against the backdrop of an expanded federal immigration enforcement presence in the city that has already drawn criticism and public protests. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned the shooting as “horrific” and called for the withdrawal of the federal agents, citing mounting tensions and concerns about public safety.
Video of the incident, shared on social media, shows an altercation between Pretti and multiple federal officers before shots were fired and federal agents subsequently used crowd-control measures after demonstrators gathered near the scene.
Pretti’s death is the latest in a string of deadly encounters involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis in recent weeks, prompting renewed debate over federal enforcement tactics and civil rights protections in urban communities.
As the investigation into the shooting continues, city and state officials are urging restraint while pressing for answers about the circumstances leading to the use of lethal force.
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