MEDICAL EXAMINER RULES ALEX PRETTI DEATH A HOMICIDE -1 - dead after Minneapolis shooting involving immigration agents, US Jan 24, 2026

[branmuffin]

Hey Everyone,

A friend of mine shared his thoughts with me and gave me permission to post them here. His perspective is different from what most people in this thread believe

I’m posting this because I think it’s important to understand how people think who strongly disagree with each other. I’d like to hear your responses to his views and how you would address his arguments.

As always, please respond respectfully and thoughtfully. This is a good opportunity to show that people can disagree passionately and still have a productive, civil conversation.

From my friend
I think that any LE officer in this situation could have felt threatened by this guy's movements. He is clearly resisting the officers and reaching for something. Did someone shout "gun" at some point? If so it would heighten the fear among the officers. Did the officers who fired at him know that another officer had taken a weapon from him? I wouldn't be surprised if they didn't from watching that confusing struggle. Does taking a single weapon during the struggle mean he doesn't have another weapon that could be used to kill? Of course not

So it's boils down to did the actions of the armed instigator cause these officers to fear for their lives or the safety of others. If it did then the shooting is legally justified

I wonder if you think it's possible the officers in this case really did fear for their safety during this encounter with the armed protester.

Tricia again. I would love to see your replies to my friend's message.

I think your friend's bias coloured his review of what happened. Alex Pretti had his phone in his right hand. He never dropped it and hung on to it because he probably didn't want ICE to get it. His focus was probably intent on preserving the evidence of the interaction, since that was why he was on the scene; to document the undisciplined thuggish behavior of ICE running amok in his city. I don't believe for a minute that AP thought he would get shot. I think your friend provided his interpretation after it was known AP had a weapon. ICE didn't know until they had him face down on the ground after bashing his head with a gas canister. I don't know what type of conversation you had with your friend but I'm getting an inkling. Witnessing the brutalization and death of AP in a span of about 10 seconds was shocking. And it was heartbreaking to me to hear what Alex had his other hand was his glasses because he had bad eyesight.

 

[Snoopster]

“On the ground”? Like Roland Hedley?

16 “Minnesota rioters”? whooo scary mid west people with WHISTLES

Lol


Imo

Remember during BLM protests people complained that some protesters were damaging property, like breaking windows and trashing cars? People said all would be good if they didn't damage private property. But these protesters are just blowing whistles and peacefully protesting....and yet people still blame them and say that they wouldn't be sad if one of them was killed. (Megyn Kelly I'm looking at you!)

So are protests allowed or not in the USA? Are federal law enforcement officers allowed to ignore the law themselves?

 

[airportwoman]

As for Mr. Pretti's private life, maybe this has been mentioned here, but I just found out that he was divorced in 2023, after a childless 2-year marriage. His ex-wife, who took back her maiden name and wishes not to go public, did speak to "People" magazine and said that she never thought he was dangerous.

Alex Pretti's Family: What to Know About His Parents, Sister and Ex-Wife

Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal officers in Minneapolis on Jan. 24. Here's everything to know about the late ICU nurse's family.

people.com

 

[Deleted member 369619]

"Are you okay?" were Alex's last words, to a woman who'd been forcefully shoved to the ground.

Words of concern, empathy, and compassion.

The care, calm and light of Alex Pretti’s masculinity

Those who knew ICU nurse Alex Pretti were unsurprised to learn that his final recorded words were, "Are you ok?"

womensagenda.com.au

OMG. He was truly a caretaker. Many of my friends and relatives were RNs. My husband and I had a long history of being unwell and I will always love and appreciate the medical people who took care of us. MOO

 

[marloweclover]

Something I have been thinking about re: reasonable fear, justification, etc: is it not normal for LE to successfully apprehend armed individuals who are unequivocally, visibly resisting without shooting them 10 times? Imo I see local and regional news to that effect with sufficient frequency that it seems the common result, not a rare miracle that we cannot expect.

 

[Deleted member 369619]

As for Mr. Pretti's private life, maybe this has been mentioned here, but I just found out that he was divorced in 2023, after a childless 2-year marriage. His ex-wife, who took back her maiden name and wishes not to go public, did speak to "People" magazine and said that she never thought he was dangerous.

Alex Pretti's Family: What to Know About His Parents, Sister and Ex-Wife

Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal officers in Minneapolis on Jan. 24. Here's everything to know about the late ICU nurse's family.

people.com

Of course he wasn’t dangerous! He was an ICU RN who cared about people. Not being snarky to you. Just saying. MOO

 

[Inthedetails]

Something I have been thinking about re: reasonable fear, justification, etc: is it not normal for LE to successfully apprehend armed individuals who are unequivocally, visibly resisting without shooting them 10 times? Imo I see local and regional news to that effect with sufficient frequency that it seems the common result, not a rare miracle that we cannot expect.

Some local officers encounter the same people over and over. They might have to deal with someone and then deal with them again 11 days later. And they manage to control the situation without assaulting and killing the person.

I think it's reflects their training, professional expections, and mission.

jmo

 

[moonglow123]

I'm a strong supporter of amendment 2. The issue here is that this man inserted himself in to a situation where in my opinion the presence of his firearm led to the shooting. I have 3 permits to carry issued from 3 different states. My opinion is this man made a bad judgement call that cost him his life. I simply cannot ignore it, and hope other concealed carry permit holders think long and hard before engaging with LE in a similar manner.

A person has a right in a crosswalk, but a poor judgement call could lead to being hit by a truck.

A person has every right to freedom of speech, however, in the wrong place at the wrong time that too could cost them their life.

It's my opinion this man chose to be there that day with a confrontational attitude, and when he involved himself in the situation the presence of the firearm came to light, the threat to the Federal agents arose, and the rest is history.

I think we're just going to fundamentally disagree here.

I truly cannot see why seven men tackling *one* man needed to then fatally shoot him vs. just arresting him. I'm also not really sure why they had to violently attack him when he was helping a woman up.

His weapon was holstered, not out or pointed at them. He'd already been beaten and pepper-sprayed, and again, was not reaching for his gun.

I know one's beliefs color how they see this situation, but objectively, factually, subjectively, analytically I cannot see why it was necessary to shoot him, much less ten times.

 

[airportwoman]

Of course he wasn’t dangerous! He was an ICU RN who cared about people. Not being snarky to you. Just saying. MOO

(I've known some really scary nurses over the years) My point was that their divorce was not because of any kind of abuse, and she couldn't imagine him being violent except in self-defense.

 

[waldojabba]

15m ago
A federal judge in Minnesota has canceled a contempt of court hearing for a lead ICE official, but also noted that the agency has failed to comply with nearly 100 court orders since 1 January.

Chief U.S. District Judge Patrick J. Schiltz in Minneapolis canceled acting ICE chief Todd Lyons’s appearance after the agency released a wrongly detained Ecuadorean man. At the same time, Schiltz noted that ICE had failed to comply with 96 court orders in 74 cases.

“ICE is not a law unto itself. ICE has every right to challenge the orders of this court, but, like any litigant, ICE must follow those orders unless and until they are overturned or vacated,” he said in the order.

US congressman meets five-year-old Liam Ramos and his father at ICE detention center – live

Joaquin Castro, a Democrat from Texas, shares photo of boy who was detained by federal agents on his way home from preschool

www.theguardian.com

Let that sink in. ICE
FAILED TO COMPLY WITH 96 COURT ORDERS.
NINETY SIX.

 

[keek]

I think we're just going to fundamentally disagree here.

I truly cannot see why seven men tackling *one* man needed to then fatally shoot him vs. just arresting him. I'm also not really sure why they had to violently attack him when he was helping a woman up.

His weapon was holstered, not out or pointed at them. He'd already been beaten and pepper-sprayed, and again, was not reaching for his gun.

I know one's beliefs color how they see this situation, but objectively, factually, subjectively, analytically I cannot see why it was necessary to shoot him, much less ten times.

Do they not use handcuffs as we see LE use in any and all situations they are 'not happy with' the person they are confronting? Not these ICE it turned out. IMO

 

[Jade]

Federal judge in Minnesota blocks Trump administration from arresting and detaining refugees living in the state – live US congressman meets five-year-old Liam Ramos and his father at ICE detention center – live

On my news feed there's a headline for an article from a trusted White House source declaring:

Trump Admin Wins Court Victory Freeing ICE Agents From Minnesota


All imo

 

[Amonet]

just rereading the paraphrased bits from the "report" prepared for congress by DHS on the Alex Pretti incident. It's got me all fired up yet again.

According to the report to Congress, CBP agents were conducting an operation in Minneapolis on Saturday morning when an officer was "confronted by two female civilians blowing whistles." The officer ordered the women to "move out of the roadway," the report said. That's when CBP agents first encountered Pretti.

"The [CBP officer] pushed them both away and one of the females ran to a male, later identified as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a US citizen," the report said. "The [CBP officer] attempted to move the woman and Pretti out of the roadway. The woman and Pretti did not move. The [CBP officer] deployed his oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray towards both Pretti and the woman."

CBP agents then "attempted to take Pretti into custody," according to the report.
2 federal agents fired their weapons during Alex Pretti shooting, government report to Congress says

If no one had seen the video and they only read that description....this thread would only be 5 pages long.

 

[Deleted member 369619]

(I've known some really scary nurses over the years) My point was that their divorce was not because of any kind of abuse, and she couldn't imagine him being violent except in self-defense.

I have to disagree with you on that. ALL of the ICU nurses I’ve known have been incredible.

 

[iamshadow21]

I grew up with Alex Pretti

The kind-hearted ICU nurse shot by federal agents was my childhood best friend.

www.theverge.com

 

[statt#1]

I think we're just going to fundamentally disagree here.

I truly cannot see why seven men tackling *one* man needed to then fatally shoot him vs. just arresting him. I'm also not really sure why they had to violently attack him when he was helping a woman up.

His weapon was holstered, not out or pointed at them. He'd already been beaten and pepper-sprayed, and again, was not reaching for his gun.

I know one's beliefs color how they see this situation, but objectively, factually, subjectively, analytically I cannot see why it was necessary to shoot him, much less ten times.

We weren't there and what matters is the perception of the Federal agent(s) at the time.

 

[iamshadow21]

I have to disagree with you on that. ALL of the ICU nurses I’ve known have been incredible.

Unfortunately, while the vast majority are like Alex Pretti, we also live in a world where Lucy Letby exists. Some people get into professions like medicine, teaching, and the clergy for all the wrong reasons. Fortunately, they are the minority.

MOO

 

[Deleted member 369619]

Unfortunately, while the vast majority are like Alex Pretti, we also live in a world where Lucy Letby exists. Some people get into professions like medicine, teaching, and the clergy for all the wrong reasons. Fortunately, they are the minority.

MOO

Yes, Lucy Letby and her ilk. I agree with you. I’ve been incredibly lucky to have had awesome ICU nurses. They were the ones who helped me after brain surgery when I tried to get up to use the bathroom and couldn’t and when I pulled out my IVs.

 

[Smelly Squirrel]

NY Times video analysis.

 

[Inthedetails]

Let that sink in. ICE
FAILED TO COMPLY WITH 96 COURT ORDERS.
NINETY SIX.

The law-and-order people.

jmo