Minneapolis Erupts After Federal Agents Fatally Shoot Second U.S. Citizen in Three Weeks

MINNEAPOLIS — For the second time in less than a month, a fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal immigration agents has plunged Minneapolis into a state of civil unrest.

On Saturday, January 24, 2026, federal agents operating under a massive immigration enforcement surge shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a registered nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center and a local resident. The incident follows the January 7 killing of Renee Nicole Good, another 37-year-old U.S. citizen, which had already sparked weeks of daily demonstrations.

The Shooting: Conflicting Accounts

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and local witnesses have provided sharply diverging narratives of the events that unfolded around 9:00 a.m. at the intersection of West 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue.

• Federal Account: DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated that Border Patrol agents fired "defensive shots" after an individual "approached officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun" and "violently resisted" attempts to disarm him. DHS released a photo of a handgun they claim was recovered at the scene.

• Witness and Video Evidence: Bystander videos verified by news outlets appear to show Pretti intervened when agents used chemical irritants on a woman filming the operation. Video footage shows Pretti being tackled and wrestled to the ground by at least five agents. According to multiple reports and video analysis, Pretti appeared to be holding a cellphone, not a weapon, during the initial struggle. Minnesota officials noted that while a gun was recovered, Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a valid permit to carry and no criminal record.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed Pretti's status as a U.S. citizen and lawful gun owner, pointedly noting that his only prior interaction with law enforcement consisted of traffic tickets.

Protests and Civil Unrest

Within hours of the shooting, hundreds of protesters gathered at the scene despite sub-zero temperatures. The atmosphere quickly turned volatile:

• Clashes: Protesters built barricades out of dumpsters, pallets, and debris, chanting "ICE Out Now." Federal agents in tactical gear responded with flash-bang grenades, batons, and chemical irritants.

• Political Fallout: Minnesota Governor Tim Walz characterized the federal operation as an "absolute abomination" and called on the Trump administration to withdraw federal agents immediately. "Minnesota has had it. This is sickening," Walz posted on social media.

• Investigation Stand-off: Tension spiked further when the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) reported that federal agents blocked state investigators from accessing the crime scene, despite the BCA holding a judge-signed search warrant.

National Context

The shooting has intensified the national debate over the "targeted operations" currently being conducted by federal immigration agencies. In Washington, several Democratic senators have cited the Minneapolis shootings as grounds to oppose upcoming DHS funding bills, raising the possibility of a government shutdown.

Meanwhile, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, a Minneapolis native, expressed firm support for the federal agents, posting "ICE > MN" and stating, "Thank God for the patriots of @ICEgov — we have your back 100%."

Victim Profile

Alex Pretti’s family described him as a "kindhearted soul" dedicated to his work as an ICU nurse caring for American veterans. His parents, Michael and Susan Pretti, released a statement condemning the "sickening lies" told by federal officials and asserting that their son’s final act was an attempt to protect a neighbor from federal aggression.

As of Saturday night, the Minnesota National Guard has been activated to assist local police, and the city remains under a state of high tension as more protests are planned for the coming week.