Immigration Enforcement Incident Leads to Death of Alex Pretti

Marianne Compere ‘26

On January 24, 2026, Minneapolis resident Alex Jeffrey Pretti was shot and killed by federal law enforcement officers during an immigration enforcement operation in the city’s Whittier neighborhood. According to official reports, officers from United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) were involved in the incident. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reported that Pretti had a handgun, and that agents opened fire after trying to disarm him during a scuffle.

However, bystanders who recorded the encounter have introduced a different perspective on how events took place. In clips published on social media, Pretti is seen to have been holding a cellphone, and attempting to help someone who was being pushed to the ground by a federal agent before gunfire began. After initial contact, Pretti was forced to the ground, and his firearm was removed from his body by an agent. Moments later, shots were fired and Pretti was hit.

Shortly after he was taken to a nearby hospital, Pretti was pronounced dead. And, the Hennepin County medical examiner ruled Pretti’s death a homicide.

This shooting, and Pretti’s subsequent death, has sparked outrage from citizens in Minneapolis and across the United States. Civilians have held rallies to seek justice for him, and are now demanding accountability from immigration enforcement officials. At the same time, officials in Minnesota have been pushing for more information from federal investigators, but have continually been denied access to key evidence in the case.

This incident has raised many questions on how law enforcement interacts with civilians in public spaces. It has led to many debates on civil rights, public safety, and federal law enforcement practices.