Alex Pretti, Minneapolis VA Nurse, Shot by Federal Agent

Alex Pretti, a 37‑year‑old ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, was shot by a federal Border Patrol agent on Jan. 24, 2026, after a confrontation in which agents sprayed him with a chemical substance and pinned him to the ground. Pretti had no criminal record, held a Minnesota handgun permit, and possessed a 9‑mm semi‑automatic pistol. The Department of Homeland Security said he approached agents with the gun and “violently resisted,” claims that Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and the AFGE union said were premature. Investigation is ongoing; officials dispute the agent’s version. Pretti, licensed since 2021 with a nursing license valid through March 2026, had previously worked as a junior scientist at the University of Minnesota Medical School and was respected by colleagues for his dedication to veterans.