In the wake of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Minneapolis intensive care nurse Alex Jeffrey Pretti by U.S. Border Patrol agents on January 24, 2026, new attention has turned to videos from just 11 days earlier. Footage resurfaced and published around January 28-29 shows Pretti in a physical confrontation with federal immigration agents during protests in Minneapolis.
The videos, originally recorded on January 13 and shared by outlets including The News Movement (with additional angles from other sources), depict Pretti among protesters opposing federal immigration enforcement actions. In the clips, Pretti is seen shouting expletives at uniformed agents, spitting toward what appears to be a federal vehicle, and kicking out one of its taillights. Agents then approach, and a scuffle ensues, with officers grabbing Pretti and bringing him to the ground.
A family representative confirmed to multiple news organizations, including NBC News and CBS News, that the individual in the videos is indeed Pretti, and that his family was aware of the incident shortly after it occurred. Attorney Steve Schleicher, representing Pretti’s family, described the earlier event as a “violent assault” by agents on Pretti, emphasizing in statements that it in no way justified the later fatal shooting.
The January 13 encounter occurred amid heightened tensions in Minneapolis over immigration raids and enforcement operations under the Department of Homeland Security. Pretti, who worked as an ICU nurse caring for veterans, was not reported to have been arrested or charged following that interaction.
These resurfaced videos have fueled ongoing debates about the events leading to Pretti’s death on January 24. Official accounts from the Department of Homeland Security state that agents shot Pretti in self-defense during a struggle after he allegedly resisted disarmament and was said to have a firearm (Pretti was licensed to carry). However, bystander videos of the shooting have circulated widely, with some analyses suggesting discrepancies with initial federal narratives. Body camera footage from the agents exists and is under review, though its public release remains uncertain.
The earlier videos add context to Pretti’s apparent activism and interactions with federal officers in the days leading up to the incident that claimed his life, intensifying calls for transparency and independent investigations into the shooting. Protests have continued in Minneapolis and beyond, with the case drawing national scrutiny amid broader discussions on federal law enforcement practices.
SOURCES:
Videos Show Alex Pretti in Confrontation With Agents 11 Days Before His Death – The New York Times
Videos show altercation between Alex Pretti and federal officers 11 days before he was killed | US news | The Guardian
Video shows Alex Pretti clash with federal agents the week before he was killed | US News | Sky News
