Minneapolis Resident Alex Pretty Killed by Federal Agents Amidst Protests

Incident Overview

• 🎯 Alex Pretty, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot and killed by federal immigration officers in south Minneapolis.
• 📍 The incident occurred near 26th and Nicollet in the Whittier neighborhood, involving an altercation and shooting captured on bystander video.
• 🏥 Pretty was an intensive care unit nurse who cared for critically ill veterans at the VA hospital and legally possessed a conceal and carry license.

Witness Accounts and Video Evidence

• 🎥 Multiple bystander videos show an altercation where Pretty appears to be pepper-sprayed, wrestled to the ground, and struggles with at least half a dozen agents before gunshots are heard.
• ⚠️ Some footage suggests an agent may have retrieved a firearm from Pretty's waist seconds before shots were fired, raising questions about whether he was armed at the time.
• 🗣️ Federal officials, including Commander Gregory Bavino and Secretary Christy Gnome, claimed Pretty approached officers with a handgun and intended to inflict harm, a narrative contradicted by available video evidence.

Community Reaction and Protests

• ✊ Residents and community groups, including local immigration rights group MIRA, gathered to protest the actions of ICE and Border Patrol, calling for their removal from Minneapolis streets.
• 📢 Protesters expressed anger and frustration, with some stating they are at their "wits end" and want federal agents to leave the city.
• 🕯️ A vigil and rally were held for Alex Pretty, drawing a significant crowd despite sub-zero temperatures, echoing calls for justice seen after a similar incident two and a half weeks prior.

Official Responses and Investigations

• 🏛️ Governor Tim Walz stated the federal government cannot be trusted to lead the investigation and that the state will handle it.
• 🚫 The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) reported being denied access to the scene by the Department of Homeland Security, even after obtaining a warrant, hindering their investigation.
• 🗣️ Secretary Gnome stated Pretty was in the country illegally and had a criminal conviction, claims that were not independently confirmed by CBS News.

Victim's Background and Family Statements

• 👨‍⚕️ Alex Pretty was described by neighbors and his parents as a caring individual, an avid outdoorsman, and a US citizen who worked as an ICU nurse.
• 📜 His parents noted his deep concern about the direction of the country, particularly the Trump administration's rollback of environmental regulations and the actions of ICE.
• ⚖️ A gun rights attorney suggested Pretty, as a lawful permit holder, may have been exercising his Second Amendment rights, and that simply being armed near officers is not illegal in Minnesota.