Pretti, a U.S. citizen and registered nurse known among staff for his work with critically ill veterans, was killed during an immigration enforcement operation on Minneapolis’ south side.
Colleagues of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, held informal tributes over the weekend to honour his service following his fatal shooting by U.S. federal immigration agents on January 24.
The tribute video that circulated widely on social media was posted on Monday by the account @Pamphlets, showing a staff standing beside a deceased veteran whose body was draped in the American flag, as he delivered a formal final salute.
Pretti, a U.S. citizen and registered nurse known among staff for his work with critically ill veterans, was killed during an immigration enforcement operation on Minneapolis’ south side.
His death has intensified public scrutiny of federal law enforcement conduct and deepened mistrust between frontline healthcare workers and federal authorities.
The incident marks the second fatal shooting involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis in recent weeks and has triggered protests, renewed debate over enforcement tactics, and calls for accountability.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed that Pretti was transported to hospital with multiple gunshot wounds and later pronounced dead. Federal authorities initially described the shooting as an act of self-defence, claiming Pretti approached agents with a handgun.
That account has been sharply disputed by Pretti’s family, eyewitnesses, and bystander video footage.
In a statement, Pretti’s parents, Michael and Susan Pretti, described their son’s final moments as selfless and condemned what they called false official narratives.
“We are heartbroken but also very angry,” they said. “Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family, his friends, and the American veterans he served as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world.”
Rejecting claims that their son posed a threat, the parents said Pretti was unarmed and attempting to protect another person when he was shot.
“I do not throw around the term ‘hero’ lightly,” they said. “However, his last thought and act was to protect a woman. The lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible. He was holding his phone, his other hand raised, while being pepper-sprayed and trying to shield someone who had been pushed to the ground.”
They urged the media and the public to scrutinise available video evidence and “get the truth out.”
The Department of Homeland Security has stood by its agents, stating that a Border Patrol officer fired after perceiving an imminent threat. However, multiple videos circulating online appear to show Pretti holding only a cellphone moments before the shooting, a discrepancy that has drawn criticism from local officials and civil rights advocates.
At the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, where Pretti worked, colleagues described him as a steady and compassionate caregiver. Staff members gathered near the hospital entrance to lay flowers and share memories, expressing anger and grief over his death.
One widely shared video shows Pretti delivering a final salute for a deceased veteran under his care, a moment that has since become emblematic of his commitment to patients.
“He did difficult, often invisible work every day for veterans who depended on him,” one VA nurse said. “That dedication doesn’t disappear because of the way he died.”
Local authorities have acknowledged that Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a permit but have not confirmed whether a firearm was in his possession or displayed during the encounter.
Witnesses said he was attempting to assist another protester when he was pepper-sprayed and restrained by multiple agents before shots were fired.