Federal agents fatally shoot Minneapolis man during immigration operation
By EEW Magazine Online News Desk
Alex Jeffrey Pretti
MINNEAPOLIS — Federal immigration agents shot and killed a 37-year-old Minneapolis man Saturday morning during an enforcement operation in south Minneapolis, authorities said, as officials acknowledged limited information about what led to the shooting.
The man was identified as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a Minneapolis resident, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Pretti was believed to be a U.S. citizen and a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry. O’Hara said Minneapolis police were not involved in the federal operation and had little information about the events preceding the shooting.
Pretti was an intensive care unit nurse, his family said. State records show he was issued a nursing license in 2021. Authorities said his criminal history showed nothing beyond minor traffic-related offenses.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security said U.S. Border Patrol agents fired “defensive shots” after a man with a handgun approached officers and “violently resisted” efforts to disarm him. DHS said the weapon involved was a 9mm handgun and that the man was carrying two magazines.
The scene of a shooting involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S., January 24, 2026. REUTERS/Tim Evans
Pretti was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.
Video recorded by bystanders and reviewed by EEW Magazine shows masked officers in tactical gear struggling with a man on a snow-covered street before several gunshots are heard. The footage does not clearly show who fired the first shot.
The encounter occurred during what federal officials described as a targeted immigration enforcement operation. City officials said local law enforcement was not notified in advance and did not participate.
Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called on federal officials to halt the operation. Frey questioned how many more people would be injured or killed before it stops, while Walz said state officials were seeking additional information about the shooting.
The killing came less than three weeks after another fatal encounter involving federal immigration enforcement in Minneapolis. On Jan. 7, Renée Good, 37, was fatally shot during a separate incident involving federal agents. On Jan. 14, another man was wounded in a shooting tied to immigration enforcement activity, according to local reporting.
Students protest the fatal shooting of Renée Good (Joshua Lott/The Washington Post)
President Donald Trump commented on the shooting in a post on Truth Social, sharing images of a handgun that immigration officials said was recovered at the scene. He questioned why local police were not present and criticized Walz and Frey over their response to the operation, also referencing fraud cases involving Minnesota government programs.
Vice President JD Vance addressed the incident in a post on X, saying immigration agents had sought greater cooperation with local law enforcement to prevent situations from escalating. He accused Minnesota officials of declining to work with federal agents.
Investigations into the shooting are ongoing. Federal authorities have not announced whether the agent who fired the shots has been placed on administrative leave, and no determination of wrongdoing has been made.
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