Killing of Alex Pretti: What we know so far

Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was fatally shot by federal officers during an anti-immigration rally in Minneapolis. Here's what we know so far.

A 37-year-old intensive care nurse was shot dead by federal officers at an anti-immigration rally in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026. He has been identified as Alex Pretti.

Alex Jeffrey Pretti, born in Illinois, was an avid outdoorsman who enjoyed going on adventures with Joule, his beloved Catahoula Leopard dog, who also recently passed away. He worked for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and participated in protests following the January 7, 2026, killing of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs officer.

Alex Pretti grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he played football and baseball and ran track for Preble High School. He was a Boy Scout and sang in the Green Bay Boy Choir. After graduation, he attended the University of Minnesota, graduating in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in biology, society, and the environment, according to the family. He worked as a research scientist before returning to school to become a registered nurse.

What do we know about the shooting?

A person is pushed back by a federal agent working on the scene in Minneapolis, Sunday, Jan. 25, 2026. | Photo Credit: AP

Videos from the scene verified and reviewed by Reuters showed Pretti holding a phone in his hand, not a gun, as he tries to help other protesters who had been pushed to the ground by agents. As the videos begin, Pretti can be seen filming while a federal agent pushes away one woman and shoves another woman to the ground. Pretti moves between the agent and the women, then raises his left arm to shield himself as ​the agent pepper sprays him. Several agents then take hold of Pretti — who struggles with them — and force him onto his hands and knees. As ⁠the agents pin Pretti down, someone shouts what sounds like a warning about the presence of a gun.