The United States is gripping with a fresh wave of civil unrest after federal agents shot and killed a healthcare worker in Minneapolis, marking the second such fatality in under three weeks.

Protests have erupted across major American cities, from New York to San Francisco, following the death of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse. Pretti was shot dead by US Border Patrol agents on Saturday, January 24, 2026, in the Whittier neighborhood of Minneapolis. The incident has poured fuel on an already volatile fire regarding the "Operation Metro Surge" immigration crackdown.

"Agents of Chaos"

The circumstances of the shooting are bitterly contested. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-9)The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) claims Pretti approached agents with a handgun. However, video footage reviewed by major US networks appears to show Pretti holding a cellphone, filming an arrest, before being pepper-sprayed, tackled by six agents, and shot. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz bluntly dismissed the official account as "nonsense," stating, "What I see with my eyes makes that pretty hard to believe."

Pretti, described by his father as a man who "cared deeply about people," was a US citizen born in Illinois. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-11)He had been active in protests following the killing of Renee Good by ICE agents earlier this month. The tragedy has drawn sharp condemnation from local leaders, with New York City Council member Chi Ossé calling the federal agents "agents of chaos" who are "destroying the fabric of the country."

• The Human Toll: Pretti was an ICU nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital. His death has shocked the medical community and galvanized the "White Coats for Black Lives" movement.
• The Protests: Despite freezing temperatures, thousands marched in Minneapolis, chanting "Fuck ICE." In Washington DC, crowds gathered outside DHS headquarters shouting "Shame!"
• Systemic Questions: This shooting puts a spotlight on the aggressive militarization of immigration enforcement in US cities, a tactic that critics argue is turning neighborhoods into war zones.

A Nation on Edge

The parallels to the 2020 George Floyd protests—also in Minneapolis—are unavoidable. But this time, the anger is directed at the federal apparatus. As investigations begin, the US faces a reckoning over the use of lethal force by border agents operating deep within the interior. [...](asc_slot://start-slot-13)For the family of Alex Pretti, the politics are secondary to the loss of a son who spent his life saving others, only to be killed by those sworn to protect.