Medical Examiner Rules Minneapolis ICU Nurse's Death a Homicide, Contradicts Official Account

MINNEAPOLIS — The official autopsy report for Alex Pretti, the 37-year-old ICU nurse fatally shot by federal agents during a January protest, has classified his death as a homicide, directly contradicting initial accounts from the Department of Homeland Security.

The Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office, in findings released Monday, concluded Pretti died from multiple gunshot wounds. The report explicitly lists the manner of death as homicide and notes he was "shot by law enforcement officer(s)."

Pretti was killed on Jan. 24 amid escalating tensions in Minneapolis over increased immigration enforcement. Federal authorities stated they were conducting a "targeted operation" against an individual wanted for violent assault. DHS claimed Pretti approached Border Patrol officers with a handgun and resisted disarmament, forcing an agent to fire "defensive shots."

However, an analysis of footage by The New York Times and eyewitness testimonies paint a starkly different picture. The video appears to show Pretti among protesters, holding a phone, with both hands visible before agents deploy pepper spray. He is then seen being forced onto the sidewalk, with no visible weapon. A witness stated Pretti was attempting to aid a woman who had been pepper-sprayed moments before he was shot.

"This report confirms what we’ve known: Alex was executed while posing no threat," said Steve Schleicher, attorney for the Pretti family, referencing a prior altercation with agents days earlier. "The ‘homicide’ ruling underscores the urgent need for accountability."

The Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division and the DHS have opened investigations. Minnesota state authorities have also not ruled out criminal charges against the involved agents.

Reactions & Analysis:

Marcus Chen, Policy Analyst at the Center for Policing Equity: "This homicide ruling is a critical data point in a pattern. It forces a hard look at the rules of engagement for federal agents in domestic protest settings and the systemic lack of transparency following such incidents."

Rebecca Vance, Minneapolis Community Organizer: "Alex was a healer, not a threat. He was trying to help someone in distress. This report validates our grief and fury. It’s not just about one shooting; it’s about the militarization of our streets and the devaluation of certain lives."

David Forsythe, Former Federal Law Enforcement Officer: "While the medical examiner determines ‘how,’ not ‘why,’ this finding inevitably escalates legal and political pressure. The discrepancy between the official narrative and visual evidence is now a central focus. The separate investigations must reconcile this, or public trust will erode further."

Kelly Osborne, Commentator on ‘The American Pulse’ podcast: "This is a travesty. A nurse, on American soil, gunned down by federal agents under highly questionable circumstances, and it takes a medical examiner’s report to get to the truth? The initial story was a fabrication. When do the consequences start for the agents who pulled the triggers and the officials who lied about it?"