Alex Pretti, 37, of Minneapolis was executed on 24 January 2026 by federal agents in Minneapolis. Pretti, a nurse who worked at the Minneapolis VA, was attempting to help a woman who had been attacked by federal agents. Pretti was wrestled to the ground, his legally licensed to carry hand gun taken from him, and he was shot multiple times and died.
Pretti’s father said his sone was caring person - upset about what he was seeing happening in his community.
“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 Michael Pretti, Alex’s father. “He felt that doing the protesting was a way to express that, you know, his care for others.”
Born in Illinois, Pretti had no criminal record and his family said he had never had any interactions with law enforcement beyond a couple of traffic tickets. Pretti grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he played football, baseball and ran track for Preble High School.
Alex’s parents, Michael and Susan Pretti, issued a statement defending who they knew their son was as a person.
“Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately he will not be with us to see his impact. I do not throw around the hero term lightly. However his last thought and act was to protect a woman.”