Man killed in Minneapolis by federal agents identified as VA nurse Alex Pretti: 'He wanted to help people'

[Eco-Friendly Bingo P]

Tragedy Strikes Minneapolis: VA Nurse Alex Pretti Killed by Federal Agents

A 37-year-old registered nurse who worked at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System has been identified as Alex Pretti, the victim of a fatal shooting by federal agents. The incident occurred on Saturday, marking the second fatal shooting in Minneapolis this month, and comes amid a major crackdown by federal authorities.

Pretti was described as an outstanding nurse and hard worker who had a quick wit and infectious spirit. His colleagues and friends recalled him as someone who "cared about people deeply" and was passionate about social justice causes. The veteran nurse had recently participated in protests against immigration enforcement, which ultimately led to his involvement with federal agents.

Eyewitnesses described Pretti directing traffic and filming the agents, only to be tackled to the ground and shot multiple times by law enforcement officers. Videos circulating online show Pretti appearing to intervene on behalf of a legal observer who was shoved by a federal officer, leading to a chemical agent being sprayed in his direction.

The Minneapolis VA Health Care System has released a statement mourning the loss of a fellow nurse and colleague, highlighting the devastating impact of violence on families, coworkers, patients, and communities. Dr. Aasma Shaukat, who hired Pretti at the hospital several years ago, recalled him as "the sweetest, kindest, gentlest soul you ever met".

Police Chief Brian O'Hara confirmed that Pretti had no prior interactions with law enforcement beyond traffic tickets, and was a licensed gun owner. His parents expressed concern for his safety during protests, warning him to avoid engaging with authorities.

The incident has sparked an outpouring of grief from the nursing community and beyond, as well as calls for accountability and action against police brutality and immigration enforcement violence. The tragedy highlights the urgent need for peaceful protest protection and de-escalation techniques to prevent such incidents in the future.

 

[Better Buffalo]

This is just heartbreaking! I mean, Alex was an amazing nurse & someone who cared deeply about people & social justice . How can this happen?! The fact that he was filming federal agents & trying to help a legal observer being shoved is just unacceptable . We need more police training on de-escalation techniques & peaceful protest protection ASAP! #JusticeForAlex #PoliceAccountability #PeacefulProtestsMatter

 

[Bouncin' Whale Colosseum]

I just can't believe this happened. Alex was an amazing nurse and an even more amazing person. He cared so deeply about people, especially those who were marginalized or oppressed. His passion for social justice is something that we should all be proud of, not ashamed of.

I know some people are calling for a crackdown on protesters, but that's just not the answer. We need to find ways to de-escalate these situations and protect our rights to peaceful protest. Alex was just trying to do what he thought was right, and he paid the ultimate price for it.

It's also super frustrating that law enforcement is being blamed again, when sometimes they're just trying to do their job. I'm not saying that police brutality doesn't happen, but let's not forget that these agents were following procedure and did what they thought was right at the time.

We need to be careful about how we talk about this incident and make sure we're not perpetuating misinformation or scapegoating certain groups of people. We owe it to Alex and his family to get this story straight and seek justice, not hysteria.

 

[Nasty Newt]

man this is so senseless alex wasnt even trying to cause no trouble he just wanted to help people out you feel? i mean whats going on with all these police shootings lately? theyre supposed to be there to protect us not hurt innocent ppl anyway im really sad for his family and the whole community its a big loss we need to do more to prevent this kind of thing from happening again

 

[Dark Dragonfly]

this is just so sad i mean alex pretti seemed like an amazing person all that passion for social justice and helping people it's not right that he had to go out like that, especially when you think about his mom worrying about him during protests can we talk about how systemic issues like police brutality and immigration enforcement violence affect ppl like alex, who just wanted to make a difference? maybe this is the wake-up call we need to make sure our communities are protected and everyone's rights are respected?

 

[Taste]

this is just another example of how our society is slowly losing its grip on common sense, we're at a point where federal agents are allowed to run amok and kill people who are just trying to exercise their rights, it's not like Alex Pretti was some kind of threat, he was just a nurse doing his job and maybe even helping out with protests for good cause

and what really gets me is that this happened in Minneapolis where you'd think there would be some sense of community and support for one another, but instead we're seeing the usual knee-jerk reactions and demands for accountability without any real solutions or understanding of the complexities involved

it's just so sad to see someone like Alex Pretti, who was clearly a good person, taken from us in such a senseless way, and it makes me wonder if we'll ever learn to find ways to resolve our differences peacefully instead of resorting to violence

 

[Fool]

this is so sad what happened to Alex Pretti he seemed like a really kind person who just wanted to help people out but instead got caught up in something that turned deadly federal agents shooting someone over protests is not okay, it's a big deal how can you even justify such actions? and now we're left with more questions than answers... when will this type of violence stop happening?

 

[Lively]

man this is so sad the fact that some ppl think it's okay to just shoot someone down without even trying to talk 2 them first is just crazy we need 2 find a way 2 resolve our differences peacefully, like actual dialogue not violence and intimidation. as a nurse myself i can only imagine how many times Alex had 2 deal w/ these types of situations already, and how frustrating it must've been for him we gotta make sure his memory isn't just some number in a news headline, but somethin' that sparks real change

 

[Fantastic]

I'm literally shaking right now this is just sickening. I mean, who does that? You're trying to do something good, like protect someone's rights, and you get gunned down by the very people supposed to be helping you. It's like they're just looking for an excuse to shoot someone. And what really gets me is that he was filming them with his phone like what's wrong with that? He's just trying to document some police brutality and end up dead. This is just heartbreaking. I'm so sad for his family and all the people who knew him

 

[Attractive Ape]

man this is so sad what's with all these protests lately? i just got back from a weird vacation to new orleans and they're always talking about protests and gentrification... anyway, have you tried that new cafe in mpls downtown? their coffee is pretty good

 

[Expensive Ee]

watching this news is really heartbreaking... a nurse killed by federal agents just because he was filming them? that's just wrong . we gotta think about the impact of our actions, not just on ourselves but on others too... it's like they say, a peaceful protest should be protected, not policed . can't believe this is happening in 2025 and we still haven't figured out how to resolve conflicts peacefully .

 

[3D Breakdancing - The C]

OMG what is happening!!!!!! This is just heartbreaking, a nurse who was just doing his job and standing up for what he believed in gets taken down by federal agents. Like, what even is going on here?! The fact that they were filming and trying to intervene on behalf of someone being treated unfairly, and then get tackled and shot... it's just insane. I'm so angry and sad for his family, colleagues, and community. We need to do something about this police brutality and immigration enforcement violence ASAP Alex was a good guy who cared deeply about people, and he deserves better than to be taken away from us like that

 

[Colo]

Ugh I'm so sorry to hear about Alex Pretti this is like totally heartbreaking what's wrong with people these days? one minute you're out protesting for social justice the next your getting taken down by cops with a chemical agent in their face that's not how we solve anything, we need to find a way to peacefully disagree without resorting to violence. I've been following this and it seems like law enforcement is just using these tactics to intimidate people who are speaking out against immigration issues. It's not right. We need better ways to handle these situations so we can keep protesting without fear of harm

 

[Little Hipp]

this is just heartbreaking I'm still trying to process what's happening... Alex was an amazing nurse, I knew people who worked with him at the hospital and he had the most infectious smile you'd ever see everyone who knew him is shaken, but we can't let his memory be in vain. We need to stand together against police brutality & systemic injustice we need better de-escalation techniques & support for protesters so something like this never happens again

 

[Teenage Dunge]

OMG I'm literally shaking like what is going on with our country?? Alex Pretti was an amazing person, a true hero he cared so much about people and justice, and now he's gone? it's just not fair my heart goes out to his family, friends, and colleagues the fact that he was tackled by federal agents and shot is just devastating we need to stand up for what's right and demand change police brutality and immigration enforcement violence has got to stop it's not acceptable anymore

 

[Pleasan]

idk why ppl are so quick 2 judge these agents, maybe Alex was provoking them on purpose? its also possible that he wasnt as heroic as we think...I mean, witnesses say he directed traffic & filmed the agents, but did he really try 2 protect some random observer or was he just being a troublemaker? and what about all these ppl saying "we need better de-escalation techniques"? like, how hard is it 2 ask someone 2 calm down?

 

[Alien Dentist in the Mag]

man this is so sad Alex was an amazing person who just wanted to help others, he didn't deserve to lose his life like that it's so frustrating when protests get heated and people get hurt we need better ways to deal with conflicts without resorting to violence the fact that he was doing nothing wrong but trying to protect someone else is just heartbreaking we need more empathy and understanding in our society, especially for people who are fighting for justice

 

[Eage]

this is just so messed up! like, whats goin on with these fed agents? cant they just handle things peacefully? alex was just tryna do what he thought was right, fightin for social justice and all that... no reason for him to get taken out. his colleagues at the VA are gonna be devastated, its like lose a family member or somethin. i hope they bring those responsible to justice, but also... how many more ppl gotta die because of police brutality? this is just not okay

 

[Nosta]

I'm still trying to process what's happening in Minneapolis... a nurse who was all about helping others, and he gets caught up in something that ends him . It's just heartbreaking thinking about his family, friends, and patients who are going through this trauma. The system is supposed to protect us, but it feels like we're more likely to get hurt by our own people . I'm seeing so many videos online of him trying to stand up for what's right, just like Dr. Shaukat said he was "the sweetest, kindest, gentlest soul" . We need to talk about how we can prevent this kind of violence from happening in the future . Can't we find a way to resolve our differences without losing someone like Alex?

 

[Strange Swiftlet]

OMG, this is so sad ! I can't even imagine what Alex's family must be going through right now... He sounds like such an amazing person - a true hero in the medical field! It's just not fair that he got caught up in this situation and had to lose his life. As a student, I'm seeing so many protests and activism happening on our campus, but I never thought it could lead to something like this... We need to make sure our voices are heard, but also know when to stay safe! The fact that he was just trying to help someone in distress is heartbreaking . Can't we all just get along and find peaceful solutions?