Colleagues of Alex Pretti gathered in the intensive care unit hallways of the Minneapolis VA Medical Center on Monday, January 26, 2026, for a moment of silence that spoke volumes about the void left by their fallen coworker. The 37-year-old ICU nurse had been fatally shot by federal immigration agents two days earlier during protests against aggressive enforcement operations in the city. Photos shared by fellow staff member Garrett Peterson captured the scene: rows of healthcare workers standing shoulder-to-shoulder, heads bowed in quiet reverence, one man visibly overcome with emotion as he buried his face in his hands. Peterson’s Facebook post read simply, “A moment of silence for Alex Pretti. One of our colleagues!! May he rest in peace,” accompanying images that quickly spread across social media and news outlets.
The tribute unfolded in the same corridors where Pretti had spent years caring for critically ill veterans, managing life-sustaining interventions with the steady calm that defined him. Those who worked alongside him described a professional whose presence brought stability to high-stakes environments. Dr. Aasma Shaukat, who first hired Pretti in 2014 as a research assistant in the VA’s clinical research program before he transitioned to nursing, recalled his empathy and composure. “He had a lot of empathy and compassion that shone through,” she told media. Dr. Dmitri Drekonja, another colleague, praised Pretti as “outstanding”—diligent, respectful, and quick with humor to diffuse tension during long shifts. His final nursing student, Jessica Hauser, highlighted four months of preceptorship where he taught intricate skills like arterial line management and vigilant monitoring, always with patience that made the overwhelming feel achievable.
Pretti’s death on January 24 came amid escalating federal actions in Minneapolis, the second fatal shooting of a U.S. citizen by immigration agents that month following Renee Good’s killing. Bystander videos showed Pretti holding his phone—recording agents—before being tackled, pepper-sprayed, and shot multiple times. His family rejected official claims he posed an armed threat, insisting he intervened to protect a woman on the ground. Parents Michael and Susan Pretti called the federal narrative “reprehensible and disgusting,” affirming their son as a “kindhearted soul” devoted to veterans and human rights. His advocacy, rooted in constitutional beliefs including Second Amendment support, led him to witness enforcement operations peacefully.
The moment of silence at the VA reflected a broader wave of mourning across the healthcare community. Similar observances occurred at other VA facilities, including Spokane where staff affixed Pretti’s photo to ID badges in solidarity. Unions like the American Federation of Government Employees and National Nurses United expressed devastation, framing the loss as a blow to caregivers who run toward crisis. Vigils sprang up nationwide—at the shooting site on Nicollet Avenue, outside VA centers in West Palm Beach and elsewhere—where participants lit candles, held signs demanding accountability, and chanted against ICE tactics.
Pretti’s path to nursing embodied service. Born in Illinois and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin, he excelled in academics, sports, and choir before earning a biology degree from the University of Minnesota. He worked in research at the VA before returning to school, earning his RN license in 2021 to provide direct care. In the ICU, he specialized in the sickest patients, often veterans facing end-of-life scenarios. A viral 2024 video resurfaced after his death: Pretti reading a tribute to dying Air Force veteran Terrance Lee Randolph, honoring sacrifice with words about freedom not being free. Mac Randolph, the veteran’s son, reposted it as personal thanks for Pretti’s compassion in those final moments.
The tribute photos evoked raw grief amid ongoing controversy. Federal officials initially labeled Pretti a “domestic terrorist” or armed assailant, claims contradicted by video evidence and local law enforcement. Investigations continue, with calls from Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Minneapolis officials, and figures like former presidents for transparency and de-escalation. The NBA postponed a Timberwolves game originally set for the shooting day due to safety concerns, holding a moment of silence the following night.
For Pretti’s colleagues, the silence was more than ritual—it acknowledged a shared loss in a profession where emotional bonds form quickly under pressure. Peterson’s post, with its straightforward caption, captured that collective heartache without embellishment. One worker’s visible distress in the images underscored the personal toll: this was not just a colleague but someone whose steady light, as Hauser described, had guided them through countless crises.
Tributes extended beyond the VA. High school friends from Preble in Green Bay shared memories of a confident, helpful teen. Community vigils emphasized Pretti’s belief in connection over division, his outdoor passions like mountain biking, and devotion to his late dog Joule. His death has sparked reflection on risks for healthcare workers entering public spaces amid national tensions.
As investigations proceed and protests continue, the hallway silence at Minneapolis VA stands as a poignant symbol. It honored a nurse who lived compassion daily, from bedside tributes to final interventions. Pretti’s legacy endures in the lives he saved, the students he mentored, and the quiet respect his colleagues showed in those bowed heads—a final gesture echoing the dignity he always extended to others.