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Federal agents on Saturday fatally shot a man protesting immigration-enforcement activities in Minneapolis. The man was later revealed to be an employee of the Veterans Affairs Department, working as an intensive-care-unit nurse at the medical center in the city where he was killed.
Alex Jeffrey Pretti, 37, was taken to the ground by several federal agents before one of them shot him. Pretti gathered with other protestors as Border Patrol was conducting what it called a targeted operation to detain an individual it said was in the country illegally.
Trump-administration officials accused Pretti of approaching Border Patrol agents with a weapon and resisting efforts to disarm him. They said, without evidence, that Pretti was looking to “massacre law enforcement.” Analysis of videos of the incident by media organizations such as the New York Times found that the evidence contradicted that version of events, showing that Pretti approached the agents with his phone in his hand. His firearm was holstered and concealed until after the agents had forcefully brought him to the ground.
As a VA nurse, Pretti was a member of the American Federation of Government Employees chapter at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center. AFGE President Everett Kelley said Pretti “dedicated his life to serving American veterans.”
“Our union is heartbroken,” Kelley said. “An AFGE member is dead. And a family’s life has been forever changed.”
Kelley blamed President Trump’s policies for creating the environment in which Pretti’s death occurred, though he encouraged his members to demonstrate restraint.
“I urge everyone to remain disciplined and measured in public, even as we are rightly angry,” Kelley said. “Still, we must do what we can to maintain peace and calm.”
The Trump administration was quick to denounce Pretti despite his work for the administration and with veterans, with Homeland Security Department Secretary Kristi Noem quickly labeling him a domestic terrorist. VA did not respond to a request for comment. Records indicate Pretti worked for VA since at least 2016.
Pretti’s death marked the third shooting by federal law enforcement in Minnesota in recent weeks. Earlier this month, an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed Renee Good, who was protesting the agency’s enforcement activities from her vehicle. Officers shot another man who was fleeing his attempted arrest.
Doug Massey, president of the AFGE chapter that represents employees in VA’s headquarters, said the pain of Pretti’s death would be widespread.
“Alex…was known by colleagues, friends, and family as a compassionate caregiver who was deeply committed to helping others,” Massey said. “His senseless death is a profound loss to his loved ones, his patients, and our union family.”
The shooting could have further implications for federal employees: Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said in response to the shooting that his party would not agree to a six-bill funding package next week if it contains DHS appropriations. Half of the 12-annual must pass spending bills for fiscal 2026 have already cleared Congress, but the remaining six are still pending before the Senate. The House already approved them.
In addition to DHS, those measures would fund the departments of Defense, Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, State and Treasury, as well as other related agencies. They are currently operating under a stopgap continuing resolution that is set to expire Jan. 30. Lawmakers could opt to fund just those agencies and negotiate separately over DHS, though such an approach would require new votes in both the House and Senate.
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17 Comments
Pretti’s death serves as a stark reminder of the risks and consequences of the current political climate and the importance of de-escalation techniques in law enforcement interactions with the public.
The statement from AFGE President Everett Kelley, urging members to remain disciplined and measured in public, is a call for calm in a situation that could easily escalate into more violence.
It’s disturbing that this is the third shooting by federal law enforcement in Minnesota in recent weeks, and it raises serious questions about the use of force by these agents.
This incident, coupled with the earlier shooting of Renee Good, who was protesting from her vehicle, suggests a pattern of aggressive response by law enforcement that needs to be investigated and addressed.
I’m skeptical about the Trump administration’s claim that Pretti was looking to ‘massacre law enforcement’ when videos show him approaching the agents with his phone in his hand and his firearm holstered and concealed.
Given that Pretti’s firearm was holstered and concealed until after he was brought to the ground, it seems there are serious questions about the justification for the use of lethal force in this situation.
As a veteran myself, I am deeply troubled by the death of someone who was dedicated to caring for veterans and am concerned about the impact this will have on the VA community.
The speed with which the Homeland Security Department Secretary Kristi Noem labeled Pretti a domestic terrorist, despite his service to the administration and veterans, raises questions about the politicization of law enforcement actions.
The use of force by federal agents, especially in situations where it appears to be disproportionate to the threat, needs to be thoroughly examined and addressed to prevent future tragedies like Pretti’s death.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s response to the shooting, stating that his party would not agree to a six-bill funding package next week if it includes funding for the agencies involved, could have significant implications for federal employees and the ongoing budget negotiations.
Doug Massey’s description of Pretti as a ‘compassionate caregiver’ who was ‘deeply committed to helping others’ underscores the human cost of this incident and the loss felt by his colleagues and patients.
The contrast between the administration’s accusations against Pretti and the evidence from videos analyzed by media organizations such as the New York Times highlights the need for independent investigations into such incidents.
The fact that Alex Jeffrey Pretti was a VA nurse and a member of the American Federation of Government Employees chapter at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center makes his death even more tragic, as he dedicated his life to serving American veterans.
It’s heartbreaking to think that someone who helped so many people lost his life in such a senseless way.
The fact that Pretti worked for the VA since at least 2016 and was known as a compassionate caregiver makes the Trump administration’s quick labeling of him as a domestic terrorist all the more egregious.
This kind of rhetoric is not only hurtful to his family and colleagues but also undermines the good work that many federal employees do.
The fact that the VA did not respond to a request for comment on Pretti’s death and his work for the VA since at least 2016 is notable and raises questions about the department’s stance on the matter.