The nurse who was shot dead by US agents had previously received a letter of gratitude.

Pretti, the nurse shot and killed by federal agents in Minnesota, had received a letter of appreciation from the Department of Veterans Affairs and was praised by her colleagues for her dedication.

In the January 24th altercation in Minneapolis, Minnesota, federal agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse at the local Veterans Affairs Hospital, shocking the United States.

This is the second white American citizen killed since the federal government intensified its immigration crackdown in Minnesota in December 2025, and the sixth person killed in the nationwide crackdown launched by President Donald Trump.

Secretary of Veterans Affairs Doug Collins confirmed on January 25th that Pretti was a nurse working at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Hospital. Internal documents obtained by the Federal News Network show that Pretti had recently received a letter of appreciation from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

“Thank you for working even on your day off to help care for veterans. You were a very important member of the team,” the email sent to Pretti read.

Many employees at Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Hospital expressed outrage after federal agents shot and killed Pretti. Colleagues said he was a dedicated nurse. Doug Massey, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 17, representing employees of the Central Office of the Department of Veterans Affairs, said union members were “very upset and concerned” after the shooting.

He called it a “senseless” act by the agents, as Pretti was only trying to help a protester who had been pushed to the ground.

“I know many nurses, they are often the kind of people who want to help others. He saw a woman being pushed,” Massey said.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) described Pretti as “approaching law enforcement officers with a handgun” and that when officers attempted to disarm him, he “resisted violently.” The agency explained that during the confrontation, agents fired shots at Pretti.

However, video from the scene shows Pretti only holding a cell phone. When a masked agent pushed two unidentified individuals toward Pretti, one clung to him while the other was pushed to the ground nearby. Pretti tried to squeeze between the two sides and was pepper-sprayed, forcing him to raise his arms for protection, before being tackled and subdued to the ground by the officers. An agent then shouted “gun!” and drew the handgun from Pretti’s right holster before stepping away. Pretti had a legal carry permit but did not draw the gun during this entire incident.

At that moment, gunfire erupted, and the agents fired approximately 10 shots at Pretti, killing the nurse. U.S. authorities are investigating the possibility that Pretti’s gun, in the hands of an agent, accidentally discharged, causing other officers to believe they were being shot and subsequently open fire.

Daniel Amyx, a rehabilitation nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Hospital, described Pretti as “very gentle and kind,” and “very pleasant to work with.”

“Pretti was a dedicated nurse who transitioned from research to nursing. He was very caring towards his patients,” Amyx said.