The city of Minneapolis is currently experiencing a period of intense civil unrest and political conflict following a series of fatal shootings involving federal agents during a large-scale immigration crackdown known as Operation Metro Surge. This operation, which began in December 2025, was described by the Department of Homeland Security as the largest of its kind, involving thousands of agents deployed to Minnesota to conduct raids and deportations. The situation reached a critical point on January 24, 2026, when federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old local resident.

Alex Pretti was a United States citizen and a dedicated intensive care unit nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Medical Center, where he had cared for sick veterans for several years. Friends, family, and colleagues described him as a kindhearted individual who lived to help others. He was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry and had no criminal record. According to his parents, he had become increasingly upset by the federal immigration tactics in his city and had begun participating in protests following the death of Renee Good, another citizen killed by federal agents earlier in the month.

The circumstances surrounding Pretti's death are a subject of intense dispute between federal authorities and local leaders. The Department of Homeland Security and high-ranking administration officials claimed that Pretti approached Border Patrol agents with a handgun while they were conducting a targeted operation and that he violently resisted their attempts to disarm him. They characterized the shooting as an act of self-defense against a domestic terrorist.

However, bystander videos and witness statements provide a different account. Footage reviewed by journalists and local officials shows Pretti filming the agents with his phone and directing traffic. When agents pushed a female protester to the ground, Pretti stepped in to help her. He was then pepper-sprayed and tackled by at least six agents. Video shows that an agent pulled a gun from Pretti's waistband after he was already pinned to the ground, and federal officers then fired multiple shots at him, including several while he lay motionless. In total, at least ten shots were fired within five seconds.

The fallout from the shooting has exacerbated the rift between Minnesota officials and the federal government. Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have been vocal in their condemnation of the federal presence, calling it an unconstitutional invasion and an abomination. Tensions rose further when federal agents blocked state investigators from the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension from accessing the crime scene, even after the state obtained a judicial search warrant. Governor Walz has insisted that the state justice system must have the last word and that the federal government cannot be trusted to investigate itself.

In response to the escalating violence and the perceived lack of cooperation from federal agencies, local authorities have taken several legal and security measures. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office and the state have filed lawsuits to prevent the destruction of evidence by federal agents. Additionally, Mayor Frey requested the assistance of the Minnesota National Guard to help local police maintain public safety and manage the protests that have flooded the streets despite sub-zero temperatures.

As the community mourns Alex Pretti, the incident has sparked national debate over state sovereignty, the Second Amendment rights of protesters, and the tactics used in immigration enforcement. While federal officials like Attorney General Pam Bondi demand access to state voter rolls and blame local leaders for the unrest, Minnesota leaders continue to call for the immediate withdrawal of federal agents to restore peace to their city.

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