Jacksonville vigil honors Minnesota ICU nurse Alex Pretti, killed during disputed federal immigration enforcement shooting
Jacksonville gathering links local grief to a national debate over federal use of force
Members of the Jacksonville community gathered for a vigil to remember Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse from Minneapolis who was fatally shot on Jan. 24, 2026 during a federal immigration enforcement operation. Participants described the event as both a memorial and a call for clarity about what happened, as competing accounts of the incident continue to drive public scrutiny.
Pretti worked as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs health system. In Minnesota, he was identified as a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry. Federal officials have said agents fired in self-defense during what they characterized as a targeted operation. Other publicly circulated videos and witness statements have raised questions about whether Pretti posed an imminent threat in the moments before shots were fired.
What is known about the Minneapolis shooting
The shooting occurred in south Minneapolis near the intersection of 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue. Federal authorities said officers encountered Pretti as they carried out an enforcement action and that he approached with a firearm; they also said he resisted efforts to disarm him. In contrast, accounts described in sworn statements and reports based on video footage indicate Pretti was on the ground restrained by multiple agents when shots were fired, and that he appeared to be holding a phone rather than brandishing a weapon immediately beforehand.
In the hours after the shooting, Minnesota officials moved to secure the evidentiary record. A judge issued an order directing federal authorities to preserve evidence related to the shooting, including materials taken from the scene or held in exclusive federal custody. Minnesota corrections officials also issued a public statement emphasizing the need for transparency and facts while addressing claims made publicly about criminal-history assertions tied to the broader enforcement operation.
Jacksonville vigil reflects wider concerns about accountability and training
At the Jacksonville vigil, attendees focused on the circumstances of Pretti’s death, the pace of official disclosures, and the standards governing the use of force during enforcement actions. Speakers and participants described the event as a community response to a killing that has become a flashpoint in an intensifying dispute between federal agencies and local and state officials in Minnesota.
The central unresolved question remains whether the use of deadly force was justified under the circumstances shown by available video and described by witnesses.
What happens next
As legal actions proceed, the investigation is expected to hinge on preserved evidence, including body-worn and bystander video, dispatch records, forensic findings, and chain-of-custody documentation for any recovered weapons. The outcome will likely shape not only accountability for the Jan. 24 shooting, but also how federal enforcement operations are conducted and monitored amid ongoing public demonstrations.
- Date of shooting: Jan. 24, 2026
- Location: 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue area, Minneapolis
- Key developments: conflicting public accounts; court-ordered evidence preservation; continued public vigils and protests