A man who recently died during the latest federal immigration operation in Minneapolis has been identified. His family has since come forward to speak.

A man was shot and killed by a federal immigration officer during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis on Saturday, January 24, 2026. Officials say he was armed at the time.

The incident occurred amid a wider federal crackdown and just weeks after another fatal encounter drew protests in the city. Now, with the man’s identity confirmed by family, attention is shifting to who he was and why he was there.

Law enforcement officers secure the scene at 26th Street West and Nicollet Avenue after a man was shot by a federal agent in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026 | Source : Getty Images

What Happened

A man was fatally shot by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis during a targeted enforcement operation on Nicollet Avenue, according to the Associated Press (AP).

Hospital records confirmed that he died from at least one gunshot wound. His age was first reported as 51, but updated records later identified him as 37.

Federal agents stand behind police tape near the site of a shooting during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026 | Source: Getty Images

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz confirmed the shooting occurred during a broader federal immigration crackdown.

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the man was armed with a firearm and two magazines. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin called it an “evolving” situation, adding that more details are still under review.

Agents deploy tear gas during a demonstration following the shooting of a protester in south Minneapolis on January 24, 2026 | Source: Getty Images

A bystander video obtained by AP offered more context.

In the footage, people blew whistles and shouted at agents. One officer pushed a person wearing a brown jacket, a green skirt, and black tights, who carried a water bottle. That individual reached toward a nearby man, and the two briefly embraced.

The man, dressed in a dark brown jacket and black hat, appeared to raise a phone toward the officer. The officer then shoved him in the chest, and both individuals fell backward.

Federal agents confront a man on a snowy Minneapolis street during an immigration enforcement action | Source: Instagram/nbcchicago | AP

The video briefly cut away, then returned to show them separating. Moments later, three officers surrounded the man, and the number quickly grew to at least seven.

One officer knelt on the man’s back. Another, holding what appeared to be a canister, struck him in the chest. As they tried to restrain him, the man appeared to resist. His face became visible on camera before the officer struck him near the head several more times.

A gunshot followed, though the video did not clearly show its source. More shots rang out. Officers stepped back, and the man remained motionless on the pavement.

The man’s identity was not immediately released, but those who knew him later stepped forward.

Who He Was

Alex Jeffrey Pretti was identified by family members and a colleague as the man who was fatally shot during a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis.

He was a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and worked as an intensive care unit nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital. He was born in Illinois and, according to court records reviewed by the AP, had no criminal record; only a few minor traffic violations.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Pretti studied nursing at the University of Minnesota, where he also began working as a junior scientist in 2012 at the university’s medical school.

State records from the Minnesota Board of Nursing confirmed that he received his Registered Nurse (RN) license on January 19, 2021. The license was active at the time of his death and was set to expire in March 2026.

At the VA hospital, Pretti was known as a dedicated and compassionate caregiver. Dr. Dimitri Drekonja, chief of infectious diseases and a professor at the University of Minnesota, worked alongside him.

“He wanted to help people,” Drekonja said. “He was a super nice, super helpful guy. Looked after his patients. I’m just stunned.”He described Pretti as an “outstanding” nurse who was hardworking, quick with a joke, and brought an “infectious” spirit to the workplace.

Outside of medicine, Pretti cared deeply about the environment. According to his mother, Susan Pretti, he was especially upset by federal rollbacks of environmental protections.

“He hated that, you know, people were just trashing the land,” she said. The mom added that Pretti loved the country but was increasingly troubled by what he believed was happening to it.

She said her son loved being outdoors and often brought his dog Joule, a Catahoula Leopard dog who had recently passed away, everywhere he went.

Alex Jeffrey Pretti smiles during a biking trip through the woods, wearing cycling gear and a blue jersey | Source: YouTube/CBS News Minnesota

Pretti’s father, Michael Pretti, said his son had been emotionally affected by recent federal immigration actions, including the earlier fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good.

“He cared about people deeply and he was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis and throughout the United States with ICE, as millions of other people are upset,” said Pretti’s dad. “He felt that doing the protesting was a way to express that, you know, his care for others.”

She asked not to be named and said they had not spoken in more than two years, since their divorce. After that, she moved to another state.

According to her, Pretti was a Democratic voter who took part in street protests following the 2020 killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, not far from where the couple lived at the time.

Protesters hold a portrait of George Floyd during a demonstration against police violence and racial injustice on June 14, 2020 | Source: Getty Images

The ex-wife said he might raise his voice at police during demonstrations, but she had never known him to be physically confrontational.

She also recalled that he obtained a permit to carry a concealed firearm about three years ago and owned at least one semiautomatic handgun when they separated.

A person places a white rose at the scene where a woman was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026 | Source: Getty Images

As previously reported, a federal immigration operation in south Minneapolis ended in tragedy on January 7, when an ICE agent shot and killed a woman.

Authorities claimed she posed a threat, but video and witness accounts suggested otherwise, sparking outrage and calls for accountability. The woman was later identified, and her death has left the community reeling.

Before the Gunfire

As reported by KARE 11, the incident occurred at the intersection of 34th Street and Portland Avenue, in the Powderhorn Park neighborhood. According to DHS, ICE agents were conducting “targeted operations” when they were allegedly confronted by individuals attempting to interfere.