Man killed by federal agents in Minneapolis identified as 37-year-old U.S. citizen
By Ivan Pereira, ABC News
(ABC NEWS) — As investigators continue to gather evidence on Saturday about the second fatal shooting this month of an American citizen in Minneapolis at the hands of a federal agent, more information is emerging about the victim, Alex Pretti.
Pretti, 37, worked for the Minneapolis VA Health Care System as an ICU nurse, according to AFGE Professional Local 3669, which represents professional employees affiliated with the Minneapolis VA Health Care System.
“[A] member of our union lost their life today, and that alone is devastating. Our hearts are heavy, and we are deeply stricken by this tragedy that has befallen one of our own,” the union said.
Pretti worked as an ICU nurse, Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar told reporters at a news conference on Saturday.
The AFGE said Pretti worked at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center and “dedicated his life to serving American veterans.”
“While details of the incident are still emerging, one fact is already clear: this tragedy did not happen in a vacuum. It is the direct result of an administration that has chosen reckless policy, inflammatory rhetoric, and manufactured crisis over responsible leadership and de-escalation,” AFGE President Everett Kelley said in a statement.
The Department of Homeland Security alleged that Pretti approached Border Patrol agents with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun, and “violently resisted” when agents tried to disarm him. Local officials disputed that characterization.
Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino declined to give more details about the confrontation, claiming, “This situation is evolving. The investigation is ongoing. Those facts will come to light.”
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, however, questioned the claims and admonished the federal government for a rush to judgment without spending more time gathering evidence.
Multiple videos of the confrontation showed federal agents spraying Pretti with a substance and pinning him to the ground before the shooting.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said that Pretti was a legal gun owner and did not have a criminal record.
Minnesota’s gun laws permit open carrying a handgun as long as the gun owner has a valid permit.
Pretti, who worked as a nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, was issued a Minnesota nursing license in 2021 that remained active through March 2026, according to state records.
The victim previously served as a “junior scientist” at the University of Minnesota Medical School, according to his LinkedIn profile.
A spokesperson for the Green Bay Area Public School District confirmed that Pretti was a 2006 graduate of the district.
-ABC News’ Laura Romero contributed to this report.
