On January 24, 2026, two federal immigration agents took fire upon Alex Pretti, a protester from the city of Minneapolis, after he was caught closely observing and filming them in their attempts to detain undocumented immigrants.
According to ABC News, after seeing two federal agents push a woman to the ground, Pretti stepped in between them, putting his arms around her. The officer proceeded to use pepper spray on him. At the same time, he appeared to lift his hand to signal to the officer that he was not a threat to them.
Following this moment, Pretti appeared to be dragged down across the street and had three officers hold him. At one point, at least 5 officers were seen pinning him down as he fought back. One agent appears to hit Pretti, repeatedly punching him. After a minute, another officer is seen removing the firearm from him. The first shot was then fired, followed by 3 additional shots as Alex’s body seemed to limp down. At 9:32 am, he was pronounced dead.
Initially, administrators who worked for the Department of Homeland Security defended the actions of the two officers, saying that the officers were assaulted by him, according to CBS. The administrator also explained that he attempted to brandish the firearm he was carrying, attempting to threaten and scare the officers. As video evidence rapidly spread across the Internet and various social media channels contradicting the officer’s claim, tensions grew between federal officers and everyday civilians across the United States.
On January 30, the Department of Justice began their investigation into the death of Alex Pretti. BBC News reports that the officers have currently been placed on administrative leave, the US Customs and Border Protection reports that the officers have currently been placed on administrative leave, confirmed by the US Customs and Border Protection.
Following the events, a growing number of Republicans began criticizing Trump’s response to the shooting. Many began calling for federal agents to be entirely removed from Minnesota. Others are working with the Supreme Justice to stop Operation Metro Surge, which began at the start of December 2025.
Throughout Minnesota, public unrest quickly grew as news rapidly spread. The New York Times writes that large crowds of protestors gathered on Saturday at the site of the shooting. The next day, around 1000 total people swarmed Government Plaza in downtown Minnesota to protest against the federal officers’ involvement in the city.
According to an anonymous source at Forest Hills High School, they assert that “no human deserves to die in a situation like this; people have natural rights and they need to be protected.”
Alex Pretti was a 37-year old Intensive Care nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affair Health Care System. The University of Michigan states that he was known for his devotion to his job as a health professional, treating all his patients with dignity and humanity. Moreover, he was considered a committed outdoorsman and environmentalist who spent most of his time doing hands-on activities.
Under the Trump Administration, Immigration and Customers Enforcement workers executed ‘Operation Metro Surge’. This plan involved targeting undocumented immigrants living in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area. In order to successfully carry out the plan, 2,000-3,000 federal officers were employed from ICE and Customs and Border Control.
Following the shooting, Trump’s administration agreed to withdraw 700 troops from Minnesota from growing discontent across the state. However, the public still remains upset and many mention that it’s like nothing had ever changed. ICE personnel continued to be spotted across the area, conducting protocols like usual, local officers say.
Now, people nationwide have reservations on the methods ICE implements to mitigate the immigration policies, leading millions to wonder how the future will play out.
