2/10

Alex Pretti was a 37-year old care nurse for the Department of Veteran Affairs, and, on January 24th, 2026, he was shot by ICE in his hometown of Minneapolis. It was reported that he was shot ten times in five seconds.

Before the incident, Pretti was filming ICE agents because they were being aggressive with people in town, and he was also directing traffic. He saw a woman that was encountered getting in between them. At this point, he was pepper sprayed and pushed to the ground. This resulted in the killing of Alex Pretti.

Some defend the shooting; in a CNN article, Tricia McLaughlin said, “When our law enforcement encounter a violent agitator who is breaking the law, obstructing law enforcement, or assaulting them, our law enforcement make records to advance prosecution. This is not groundbreaking: it is standard protocol.”

On the political side of things, the Trump administration is defending the shooting, although, many claim there’s video evidence that goes against their claim. While some some were saying that Pretti was in possession of a gun, others claim that it was clearly a phone.

There are still many protests and opinions on ICE, especially all over Minneapolis, since he lived there. Many defended his actions, claiming that he wasn’t doing anything wrong and was clearly doing what the First Amendment states is within his rights as a citizen. There is also the “Bearing Witness at ICE” movement, which demands safety for immigrants in the country, and the Veterans Action Team, which also took part in protesting and marching to honor Alex Pretti. Lastly, in Utah there was an Anti ICE protest after his shooting. As these protests, marches, and movements occur, the police are still investigating the case. 

While the police are still investigating, many people are yearning for the freedoms they think are deserved in America.