The First Person Who Reached Alex Pretti's Body Described What Confused Him Most Amid the Incident in Minneapolis

When federal agents shot Alex Pretti, one neighbor — a 29-year-old doctor — rushed in to help. What unfolded on the ground left that doctor with haunting questions.

The physician, who has not been publicly identified, is a licensed pediatrician living near the scene. Their eyewitness account, now part of federal court filings, offers the most detailed civilian perspective on what happened after the shooting.

Unusual Positioning Raises Alarm

In a sworn statement, the doctor said they saw the victim lying on his side, surrounded by several ICE agents.

"As I approached, I saw that the victim was lying on his side and was surrounded by several ICE agents. I was confused as to why the victim was on his side, because that is not standard practice when a victim has been shot," the statement read.

No one, the doctor noted, appeared to be providing medical assistance.

Agents Focused on Gunshot Wounds

"Checking for a pulse and administering CPR is standard practice. Instead of doing either of those things, the ICE agents appeared to be counting his bullet wounds," the physician stated. "I asked the ICE agents if the victim had a pulse, and they said they did not know."

The shooting occurred around 9 a.m. The doctor said they were woken by "cars honking and whistles blowing" and observed the incident from an apartment window, though the view was partially blocked.

ICE Demanded Proof of Credentials

"The scene was chaotic," the doctor said. "Many civilians were screaming and honking. Over the noise, I informed the ICE agents that I am a physician, and I asked to assess the victim."

But instead of granting access, the agents allegedly demanded identification. "None of the ICE agents who were near the victim were performing CPR, and I could tell that the victim was in critical condition," the witness wrote.

Seeing that no agent was assisting Pretti, who was in critical condition, the pediatrician felt obligated to step in. "I insisted that the agents let me assess him," the statement further revealed. One agent eventually frisked the doctor and allowed them through.

Injuries Reveal the Extent of the Shooting

Pretti was still lying on his side. The doctor asked that he be turned onto his back. That's when more injuries became visible — a gunshot wound to the upper left chest, a possible one near the neck, and at least three to the back.

"I checked for a pulse, but I did not feel one. I immediately began CPR. Shortly after I started compressions, EMS personnel arrived and took over," the doctor shared.

Tear Gas Forces Evacuation

The physician remained at the scene briefly, then returned to the apartment. But when tear gas began leaking inside, the doctor left to stay with a friend nearby before eventually driving 30 minutes to a sibling's home.

"I was extremely distraught," the statement continued. "I was sobbing and shaking uncontrollably" after returning home.

The Aftermath of a Tragedy

"From what I could tell, the victim was not actively threatening ICE agents or the public — he was just yelling at the agents because he objected to ICE's presence in our city," the doctor shared. "A person should not be shot and killed for lawfully expressing their opinions."

The witness ended the statement with a stark admission: there is no telling when, or if, they will feel safe returning home.

As previously reported, the man was shot and killed by a federal immigration officer during an enforcement operation in Minneapolis on Saturday, January 24. Officials say he was armed at the time.

The incident occurred amid a wider federal crackdown and just weeks after another fatal encounter drew protests in the city. With the man's identity confirmed by family, attention has shifted to who he was and why he was there.

What Happened

A man was fatally shot by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis during a targeted enforcement operation on Nicollet Avenue, according to the Associated Press (AP).

Hospital records confirmed that he died from at least one gunshot wound. His age was first reported as 51, but updated records later identified him as 37.

At the time, Walz confirmed the shooting occurred during a broader federal immigration crackdown.

According to DHS, the man was armed with a firearm and two magazines. DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin called it an "evolving" situation, adding that more details are still under review.

A bystander video obtained by AP offered more context.

In the footage, people blew whistles and shouted at agents. One officer pushed a person wearing a brown jacket, a green skirt, and black tights, who carried a water bottle. That individual reached toward a nearby man, and the two briefly embraced.

The man, dressed in a dark brown jacket and black hat, appeared to raise a phone toward the officer. The officer then shoved him in the chest, and both individuals fell backward.

The video briefly cut away, then returned to show them separating. Moments later, three officers surrounded the man, and the number quickly grew to at least seven.

One officer knelt on the man's back. Another, holding what appeared to be a canister, struck him in the chest. As they tried to restrain him, the man appeared to resist. His face became visible on camera before the officer struck him near the head several more times.

A gunshot followed, though the video did not clearly show its source. More shots rang out. Officers stepped back, and the man remained motionless on the pavement.

The man's identity was not immediately released, but those who knew him later stepped forward.

Who He Was

Pretti was later identified by family members and a colleague as the man who was fatally shot during a federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis.

He was a U.S. citizen and worked as an intensive care unit nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital. He was born in Illinois and, according to court records reviewed by the AP, had no criminal record; only a few minor traffic violations.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Alex studied nursing at the University of Minnesota, where he also began working as a junior scientist in 2012 at the university's medical school.

State records from the Minnesota Board of Nursing confirmed that he received his Registered Nurse (RN) license on January 19, 2021. The license was active at the time of his death and was set to expire in March 2026.

At the VA hospital, Alex was known as a dedicated and compassionate caregiver. Dr. Dimitri Drekonja, chief of infectious diseases and a professor at the University of Minnesota, worked alongside him.

"He wanted to help people," Drekonja said. "He was a super nice, super helpful guy. Looked after his patients. I'm just stunned."He described Pretti as an "outstanding" nurse who was hardworking, quick with a joke, and brought an "infectious" spirit to the workplace.

Outside of medicine, Alex cared deeply about the environment. According to his mother, Susan, he was especially upset by federal rollbacks of environmental protections.

"He hated that, you know, people were just trashing the land," she said. The mom added that Pretti loved the country but was increasingly troubled by what he believed was happening to it.

She said her son loved being outdoors and often brought his dog Joule, a Catahoula Leopard dog who had recently passed away, everywhere he went.

Pretti's father, Michael, said his son had been emotionally affected by recent federal immigration actions, including the earlier fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good.

"He cared about people deeply and he was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis and throughout the United States with ICE, as millions of other people are upset," Michael said. "He felt that doing the protesting was a way to express that, you know, his care for others."

In addition to his concerns about immigration and the environment, Alex had a history of political engagement.

Protest History

According to his ex-wife via AP, Alex had been politically active and participated in past protests. She was not surprised he may have joined demonstrations against Trump's immigration policies.

She asked not to be named and said they had not spoken in more than two years, since their divorce. After that, she moved to another state.

According to her, Alex was a Democratic voter who took part in street protests following the 2020 killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer, not far from where the couple lived at the time.

The ex-wife said Alex might raise his voice at police during demonstrations, but she had never known him to be physically confrontational.

She also recalled that he obtained a permit to carry a concealed firearm about three years ago and owned at least one semiautomatic handgun when they separated.

The shooting has prompted national attention, with ongoing investigations and strong reactions from public officials and the community. Key facts remain under review.