Alex Pretti Was Trained to Save Lives. He Met a System Unprepared to Defuse Chaos.

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Source: MedPage Today

Original: https://www.medpagetoday.com/opinion/second-opinions/119688...

Published: Mon, 02 Feb 2026 12:22:53 -0500

Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old paramedic, was fatally shot by federal agents on January 24 in Minneapolis.[1][2][4] He worked for approximately five years as an intensive care unit nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center.[1][2] Colleagues described him as a dedicated worker with a personal commitment to patient care.[1][2] He was a legal gun owner with no criminal record.[1] According to video analysis, the agent took the gun from Pretti just before the shooting.[1][4] The American Nurses Association called for a transparent investigation of the incident.[1] The US Department of Justice opened a federal investigation into suspected civil rights violations.[3] The family said Pretti participated in protests against immigration crackdowns.[2]