‘Alex Pretti Placed Himself There’: US Border Patrol Chief Praises Agents Who Shot Minneapolis Nurse

Last Updated:January 26, 2026, 16:56 IST

Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino claimed Alex Pretti injected himself into the operation with a weapon and was actively impeding and assaulting officers.

US Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino.

Amid widespread criticism, a senior US Border Patrol official has now praised federal agents who fatally shot Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti, saying the killing was unavoidable. The comments have triggered strong criticism and public anger.

Border Patrol commander-at-large Gregory Bovino said the agents involved were the real victims. He claimed Pretti “placed himself in that situation" and said officers did the right thing by stopping him. Bovino insisted, without presenting evidence, that Pretti was “there for a reason".

“So good job for our law enforcement in taking him down before he was able to do that," Bovino said, referring to the shooting.

Bovino said Border Patrol and other law enforcement officers were carrying out a targeted operation against a “violent illegal alien" nearby. He claimed Pretti injected himself into the operation with a weapon and was actively impeding and assaulting officers.

“When someone makes the choice to come into an active law enforcement scene, interfere, obstruct, delay, or assault law enforcement officers and they bring a weapon to do that – that is a choice that individual made," Bovino said.

He said what happened before the shooting would be investigated.

However, critics argue that videos recorded by bystanders show a different version of events. They say the footage shows Pretti peacefully filming the scene before moving to help a woman who had been pepper-sprayed and pushed to the ground.

Moments later, he was tackled by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and fatally shot.

ICE protests

Public outrage over Pretti’s death has merged with anger over the earlier fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minneapolis. The incidents have increased tensions between federal and state officials and led to protests.

Pretti was a 37-year-old intensive-care nurse and a lawful gun owner. Officials have said he had no criminal record.

Pretti’s family accused the Trump administration of spreading “sickening lies" about him. They urged officials to tell the truth about what happened.

Trump administration stands firm

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Pretti was there to block a law enforcement operation and had assaulted officers. She questioned how a peaceful protester could arrive with a gun and ammunition.

When asked for proof that Pretti threatened officers, Bovino warned against judging the incident using short video clips. He said the investigation would reveal the full facts but repeated his claim that Pretti intended to cause “maximum damage" to law enforcement.

News world ‘Alex Pretti Placed Himself There’: US Border Patrol Chief Praises Agents Who Shot Minneapolis Nurse

Read More