In the wake of a tragic encounter with federal agents, a man from Minneapolis has been identified by local media as Alex Jeffrey Pretti. The incident, which has sparked concern and questions within the community, involved a struggle that turned deadly.
According to sources contacted by the Star Tribune, Pretti was shot and killed following a confrontation on Saturday that involved several law enforcement officers. This altercation has drawn significant attention as details continue to emerge.
The Minneapolis police have confirmed that the man who lost his life was a 37-year-old white male, a resident of Minnesota, and a U.S. citizen. The identification of Pretti brings clarity to the situation, but also raises questions about the circumstances surrounding the altercation.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) provided further details, informing the Daily Mail that Pretti was armed at the time of his detention. He reportedly had two magazines in his possession, indicating the seriousness of the encounter.
Adding to the gravity of the situation, the agency released a photograph showing a nine-millimeter semi-automatic handgun, which they claim was recovered from Pretti during the incident. This piece of evidence underscores the level of threat perceived by the officers involved.
Footage from the scene reveals a tense and physical struggle, with agents wrestling Pretti to the ground. This video has become a focal point in understanding the dynamics of the confrontation and the actions taken by law enforcement.
The chaos unfolded just after 9am near Glam Doll Donuts at 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue.
DHS said agents were in the area looking to apprehend, ‘an illegal alien wanted for violent assault’ when they were approached by the deceased.
A Minneapolis man who was gunned down during a struggle with federal agents has been identified by local media as Alex Jeffrey Pretti
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) told the Daily Mail that the deceased was armed with two magazines, and the gun has since been recovered by federal authorities (pictured)
Federal agents were seen deploying tear gas amidst mounting protests
They claimed officers attempted to disarm him but he ‘violently resisted’ before he was shot by a Border Patrol agent.
The man was pronounced dead the scene, officials said at a press briefing. DHS said that he did not have any identification on him.
In a news conference, Border Patrol Cmdr. Greg Bovino said the officer who fired the fatal shot had been serving with the Border Patrol for the past eight years.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed the man who was shot was a 37-year-old white man with no serious criminal history and a record that showed only some parking tickets.
Law enforcement sources said Saturday their records show Pretti had no serious criminal history.
O’Hara said the man was a ‘lawful gun owner’ with a permit. Records show that Pretti attended the University of Minnesota.
He worked as a registered nurse for the Veterans Health Administration (VA) and in 2023 had a reported pay of $90,783 according to public records.
A protester appeared to be detained after an ICE agent reportedly shot a man several times in Minneapolis
He was most recently living in Minneapolis but also had ties to Green Bay, Wisconsin and Colorado.
Pretti was most recently a ‘junior scientist’ at the University of Minnesota according to his Linkedin.
The incident marks the third shooting in recent weeks involving federal agents in Minneapolis.
It comes after an Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer fatally Renee Nicole Good on January 7 and another federal agent wounded a man about a week later.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said Saturday that federal agents deployed in Minneapolis as part of a sweeping immigration crackdown had carried out ‘another horrific shooting,’ less than three weeks after the fatal shooting of Good.
‘I just spoke with the White House after another horrific shooting by federal agents this morning. Minnesota has had it. This is sickening,’ Walz said on X.
‘The President must end this operation. Pull the thousands of violent, untrained officers out of Minnesota. Now.’
Thousands of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have been deployed to the Democratic-led city, as President Donald Trump presses his campaign to deport undocumented immigrants across the country.
Local police identified the man as a white 37-year-old US citizen from Minneapolis
A federal agent and a protestor pictured face to face amidst widespread protests
The killing on Saturday was immediately met with protest as bystanders gathered and screamed profanities at federal officers, calling them ‘cowards’ and telling them to go home.
Minneapolis has been rocked by increasingly tense protests since federal agents shot and killed Good, a US citizen, on January 7.
An autopsy concluded that the killing was a homicide, a classification that does not automatically mean a crime was committed.
The officer who fired the shots that killed Good, Jonathan Ross, has neither been suspended nor charged.
Minneapolis is also notable as the site where George Floyd was killed by police officer Derek Chauvin in 2020. His death also sparked widespread protests.
