A photo of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer over the weekend, is displayed at the shooting scene Monday, Jan. 26, 2026, in Minneapolis. (Adam Gray/AP)
Surrounded by medical staff, critical care nurse Alex Pretti paused to express gratitude for the military service of a 71-year-old Air Force veteran who had just died at Minneapolis VA Medical Center.
“Today we remember that freedom is not free. We have to work at it — nurture it, protect it and even sacrifice for it,” said Pretti, standing beside Terrence Lee Randolph, who was placed on a gurney, covered by a white cloth embossed with the U.S. coat of arms.
A video of Pretti, dressed in hospital scrubs, as he paid tribute to the World War II veteran in 2024, went viral on social media after the 37-year-old nurse was fatally shot by immigration enforcement agents Saturday outside a Minneapolis doughnut shop.
Mac Randolph, Terrence’s son, said he reposted the 55-second clip as a personal tribute to Pretti, whose killing prompted outrage by local and state officials, as well as some members of Congress.
On Monday, medical staff at the Minneapolis veterans hospital held a similar tribute — this time for Pretti.
Staff lined the hospital hallways to pay their silent respects in what is known as an honor walk.
“Every time a veteran passes away in the hospital, this is how we say goodbye. Staff from all departments line the halls to honor the bravest among us: the veterans who served this country,” said Hamida M. Haitova, a VA medical worker posting to social media.
Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis veterans nurse, was fatally shot during an encounter with federal agents outside a neighborhood doughnut shop. Members of Congress are demanding an independent investigation into the shooting by immigration enforcement agents. (Department of Veterans Affairs)
Pretti was not a veteran, but he worked at the Minneapolis VA hospital for 11 years, first as a researcher and then as a licensed registered nurse in the critical care unit.
Mac Randolph said he shared the 2024 hospital video of Pretti honoring his father because of the compassion he demonstrated.
“He was my dad’s ICU nurse. He read my dad’s final salute at the VA after he passed away. Never wanted to share this video, but his speech is very on point,” Randolph wrote on Facebook.
After the shooting, some federal officials characterized Pretti as an armed instigator looking to harm federal officers.
The Department of Homeland Security said Pretti carried a handgun and was shot in self-defense by agents trying to disarm him — a statement disputed by bystanders.
Multiple videos taken by bystanders also appear to contradict those statements. In the videos, Pretti can be seen being tackled, pinned to the ground and shot by federal agents on a Minneapolis street outside a doughnut shop.
Pretti had been using his cellphone to record immigration enforcement actions, the videos show.
Federal agents said they found a handgun on Pretti, who was reportedly licensed to carry a concealed weapon.
The National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association is among industry groups that have spoken out in support of Pretti.
“Federal employees like Pretti retain their constitutional rights as private citizens to observe and protest their government when off duty, within the confines of the law,” said William Shackelford, president of the association. “At the same time, all federal employees — including Border Patrol agents and other federal law enforcement personnel — are required to act within the law and the U.S. Constitution in the performance of their official duties.”
The American Association of Critical Care Nurses “supports a complete and transparent investigation and urges that findings be made available promptly,” the nonprofit group said.
“We also pause to reinforce that nurses’ advocacy extends beyond patients and patients’ families to work toward a society in which safety and well-being are the norm,” the association said.
