Minnesota Governor Walz Denounces Border Patrol Shooting That Killed U.S. Nurse Alex Jeffrey Pretti

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned a recent shooting incident during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, stating: “You ask us for peace, and we give it, and we get shot in the face on the streets coming out of a donut shop.” The fatal encounter occurred Saturday when a U.S. Border Patrol officer shot and killed Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse employed at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital in Minneapolis.

Pretti was a U.S. citizen with no criminal record beyond traffic violations. Federal authorities claimed he approached Border Patrol officers armed with a 9mm semiautomatic handgun and violently resisted when agents attempted to disarm him, prompting the issuance of “defensive shots.” However, bystander videos showed Pretti holding only a phone, with no visible weapon in any footage. Federal officials did not specify whether Pretti brandished the firearm.

Democratic leaders have criticized federal law enforcement actions following the shooting, while federal authorities maintained officers were performing their duties. Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey urged calm and demanded a state-led investigation into the incident. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension reported that its agents were blocked from accessing the scene despite holding a judge-signed search warrant.

Frey has formally requested Minnesota National Guard support to reinforce local law enforcement capabilities. President Donald Trump accused Walz and Frey of inciting insurrection in a social media post, asserting he “certainly has a legal basis” to invoke the Insurrection Act regarding unrest in Minneapolis.