San Francisco rally follows Minneapolis shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents

Demonstration in downtown San Francisco draws attention to federal use-of-force questions in Minneapolis

Hundreds of protesters gathered in San Francisco on Saturday, January 24, 2026, after the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse, during a confrontation involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis. The San Francisco turnout formed quickly and centered on calls for accountability and for changes to federal immigration enforcement practices.

The local protest began near the Embarcadero and moved through the downtown core, with participants carrying signs referencing Pretti and, in some cases, Renée Good, who was also killed earlier this month in Minneapolis during an incident involving federal immigration enforcement. The San Francisco rally remained focused on solidarity with Minneapolis demonstrators and on broader concerns about the expanding role of federal immigration agents in city streets.

What is known about the Minneapolis shooting

Pretti was shot and killed in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026, during an encounter involving federal agents operating amid heightened immigration enforcement activity. Publicly available videos reviewed by multiple news organizations show a chaotic struggle in which Pretti is tackled to the ground by agents shortly before gunfire. In the footage circulating publicly, Pretti is seen holding a phone; a gun is not visible in his hands immediately prior to the shots.

Federal authorities have said Pretti was armed and that the shooting occurred after resistance during an attempt to disarm him. Pretti’s family has disputed that characterization, saying he was not brandishing a firearm and was attempting to protect another person during the confrontation. Minneapolis officials have stated that Pretti was a lawful gun owner and that state and local authorities are involved in the investigation.

Investigation steps and evidence preservation

The shooting has triggered a widening legal and investigative dispute over control of evidence and transparency. A federal judge has ordered the Department of Homeland Security to preserve evidence connected to the shooting, following legal action by Minnesota authorities seeking to ensure materials are not lost or destroyed as investigations proceed.

Key issues expected to shape the outcome include:

• the timeline of events depicted in multiple videos and whether commands about a weapon occurred before or after Pretti was restrained;
• agent use of chemical spray and physical force in the moments leading to the shooting;
• chain-of-custody documentation for any weapon recovered and the handling of body-worn camera footage, if available;
• jurisdictional coordination between federal agencies and Minnesota investigators.

Why the case resonated in the Bay Area

Organizers and participants in San Francisco framed the rally as an emergency response to a death that unfolded amid an immigration crackdown and rising street-level confrontations. The fact that Pretti worked as an ICU nurse—reported by colleagues and family as a professional dedicated to caring for vulnerable patients—added to the emotional and political intensity surrounding the demonstrations.

In San Francisco, protesters described the gathering as both a vigil and a call for accountability tied to the events in Minneapolis.

Further protests and official statements are expected as the Minnesota investigation develops and the evidence-preservation order is tested in court.