Minneapolis nurse identified as person killed by federal agents
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Tear gas fills the street near the site where federal agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti. Photo: Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
The person shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis has been identified as 37-year-old Alex Pretti, according to multiple outlets.
Why it matters: This marks the third federal agent-involved shooting in Minneapolis this month, amid growing calls for stronger accountability and guardrails for the free-wheeling agency.
Catch up quick: A video appears to show Pretti attempting to help a woman who had been pepper-sprayed.
- As agents pulled Pretti away, he was sprayed with chemical agents and wrestled to the ground by about half a dozen agents before multiple shots rang out.
- DHS said Pretti was armed with a gun. The Minneapolis Police chief said Pretti was a "lawful gun owner."
Here's what we know about Alex Pretti:
Who is Alex Pretti?
Pretti was an American citizen, born in Illinois, according to the Associated Press.
- He graduated from Preble High School in Green Bay, Wisconsin in 2006, per the Minnesota Star Tribune.
- He was an outdoor enthusiast, a former Boy Scout and sang in the Green Bay Boy Choir.
He has worked as a "junior scientist" at the University of Minnesota Medical School since 2012, according to his LinkedIn profile.
- He became a registered nurse in 2021, and his license remains active through March 2026, according to the Tribune. His family told the AP he was an intensive care nurse at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital.
- The American Federation of Government Employees union confirmed he was a member.
- He had no prior interactions with law enforcement beyond traffic tickets.
Pretti's family told the AP that he was upset after federal agents killed 37-year-old mother Renee Good in his city weeks earlier, and had attended multiple protests honoring her.
Friction point: Gov. Tim Walz criticized how federal officials have described Pretti, after President Trump's deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller labeled him a "domestic terrorist" and a "would-be assassin."
- "Thank God we have video, because according to DHS, these seven heroic guys took an onslaught of a battalion against them," Walz said, accusing federal officials of "spinning stories" and "rushing to judgment."
- "They're telling you not to trust your eyes and ears."
What we're watching: Superintendent Drew Evans of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehensions said a medical examiner will confirm Petti's identity and cause of death in the coming days.
- A large crowd has gathered at the scene of the incident, demanding answers, transparency and justice for Pretti.
Go deeper: Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz vows state investigation into shooting
