A week before his death, Alex Pretti told family members that federal agents had broken his rib during a confrontation in Minneapolis. Days later, he was dead, shot by Border Patrol officers during another federal enforcement operation. The two incidents are now being examined together, raising questions about escalation, accountability, and how his actions were interpreted by authorities.
Pretti, 37, was an intensive care nurse who worked with military veterans. Friends describe him as outspoken and driven by a sense of moral duty, particularly when he believed law enforcement was abusing its power. That conviction placed him repeatedly in the path of federal agents conducting immigration operations.
The first incident occurred during a protest earlier in January. Video shows Pretti shouting at officers and being taken to the ground. He later said he was injured in the encounter, claiming agents used excessive force while he was unarmed and attempting to intervene.
On January 24, Pretti again confronted federal officers during an early-morning operation. Witnesses reported yelling, panic, and shouts of “He’s got a gun” moments before shots were fired. Pretti collapsed in the street and later died from his wounds.
Federal officials stated that Pretti was armed and resisted efforts to disarm him, forcing officers to fire in self-defense. They emphasized that the operation was targeted and lawful, and that agents faced an immediate threat.
However, bystander videos complicate that account. Footage appears to show Pretti holding a cellphone while recording, being pepper-sprayed, and forced to the ground. An officer is later seen pulling a firearm from Pretti’s waistband, but it remains unclear whether the weapon was ever drawn.
The conflicting narratives have fueled protests and public outrage. Supporters argue Pretti was killed for confronting authority, while critics say officers acted out of fear in a volatile situation.
As investigations continue, one unresolved question dominates the debate: whether Alex Pretti’s final moments were shaped more by perceived threat—or by a system primed to respond with force.