Minneapolis is a city on the brink. Massive protests have paralyzed the Twin Cities following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents on Saturday morning. The incident, which occurred during a controversial high-stakes immigration enforcement operation on Nicollet Avenue, marks the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by federal officers in Minneapolis this month. As surfacing video evidence appears to flatly contradict the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) claim of self-defense, a political firestorm has erupted in Washington, with Congressional Democrats formally moving to impeach DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.

The Shooting of Alex Pretti: Video vs. Official Narrative

The shooting took place around 9:05 AM CST on Saturday, January 24, in South Minneapolis. According to initial statements from the DHS, agents were conducting an enforcement operation when they encountered a suspect who "wanted to do maximum damage to agents." DHS Secretary Kristi Noem doubled down on this narrative, characterizing the incident as an "act of domestic terrorism" in a press statement released shortly after the shooting.

However, bystander video verified by major news outlets and circulating widely on social media tells a starkly different story. The footage shows Pretti, a registered nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, standing on the sidewalk filming the agents with his cellphone. In the video, Pretti appears to intervene verbally when an agent shoves a woman to the ground. He is seen with his empty left hand raised and a phone in his right hand before being pepper-sprayed and wrestled to the pavement by multiple agents. Moments later, as agents surround him, a gunshot is heard.

"It’s nonsense, people. It’s nonsense, and it’s lies," Minnesota Governor Tim Walz said in a blistering press conference, rejecting the federal account. "They’re telling you not to trust your eyes and ears. Not to trust the facts that you’re seeing."

Kristi Noem Impeachment Calls Intensify

The Alex Pretti nurse killing has become a flashpoint for federal immigration enforcement policy, triggering immediate legislative action. On Sunday, a coalition of House Democrats, led by Representatives Robin Kelly and Lois Frankel, announced they are introducing articles of impeachment against Secretary Noem. The resolution cites "grave abuses of power," "obstruction of justice," and the "systemic violation of due process rights" as grounds for her removal.

"Real people are being hurt and killed," Rep. Kelly stated. "If we do nothing, nothing will happen." The move reflects a growing DHS funding controversy, with Senate Democrats threatening to block upcoming appropriations unless the agency's paramilitary tactics in sanctuary cities are reined in.

Barack Obama Statement on Minneapolis Tragedy

The gravity of the situation drew a rare intervention from former President Barack Obama. In a Barack Obama statement Minneapolis residents shared widely on Sunday, the former president called for an independent investigation and calm. "The rule of law depends on the trust of the people it serves," Obama said. "When that trust is shattered by violence and opacity, it must be restored through full transparency and accountability. Alex Pretti dedicated his life to healing others; we owe his family the truth."

A City Under Siege: Minneapolis ICE Protests 2026

The streets of Minneapolis have transformed into sites of grief and rage. Thousands of demonstrators defied sub-zero temperatures to march from the shooting site on Nicollet Avenue to the federal building, chanting "Abolish ICE" and carrying signs reading "Nurses are not Terrorists." The protests come less than three weeks after the fatal shooting of Renee Good, another 37-year-old resident killed by federal agents in the same neighborhood.

Tensions remain high as the Minnesota National Guard, activated by Governor Walz, patrols the city. Local law enforcement has found itself at odds with federal agencies; U.S. District Court Judge Eric Tostrud issued an emergency restraining order late Saturday barring the DHS from destroying or altering any evidence related to the shooting, following allegations that federal agents were blocking state investigators from the scene.

Remembering Alex Pretti

Beyond the politics and the protests is the loss of a beloved community member. Alex Pretti was an ICU nurse known for his compassion and humor. Colleagues at the Minneapolis VA described him as a "class clown" who lightened the mood in the hospital's most difficult wards. "He wanted to make a difference in this world," his parents, Michael and Susan Pretti, said in a heartbreaking statement. "The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible. Alex was clearly not holding a gun... he was a good man."

As the federal immigration enforcement crackdown continues, the death of Alex Pretti serves as a grim symbol of the escalating conflict between federal power and local communities. With investigations pending and impeachment proceedings looming, the nation waits to see if justice will be served for the nurse who died trying to help.