'Felt Moral Obligation': Doctor Recalls Attempt To Save US Man Shot Near Minneapolis

Last Updated:January 26, 2026, 09:55 IST

The doctor, whose identity has not been made public, said he witnessed the shooting from his apartment and saw officers force Pretti to the ground before firing multiple shots.

Federal officers shot and killed a person in Minneapolis during a DHS immigration operation, prompting protests and calls to end the crackdown.(Photo by ROBERTO SCHMIDT / AFP)

A doctor who lived near the site where 37-year-old Alex Pretti was fatally shot by US immigration agents in Minneapolis last week has described his failed attempt to save the man’s life, saying officials initially hesitated to let him provide medical aid, according to a court filing cited by The New York Times.

The doctor, whose identity has not been made public, said he witnessed the shooting from his apartment and saw officers force Pretti to the ground before firing multiple shots.

He rushed outside moments later, identified himself as a physician and asked to help the wounded man.

In his statement, the doctor said he felt a “professional and moral obligation" to intervene but was initially stopped by the agents, who asked him to prove that he was a licensed doctor. He was eventually allowed to approach Pretti after being searched.

“Normally, I would not have been so persistent," the doctor said, adding that he felt compelled to act because no one else was providing medical assistance.

The pediatrician said he checked Pretti for a pulse and, finding none, immediately began CPR. Emergency medical responders arrived seconds later and took over, but Pretti could not be revived.

The doctor also described the emotional toll of the incident, saying he was “sobbing and shaking uncontrollably" afterward.

As protests erupted following the shooting, he left his apartment and sought refuge at a friend’s home, saying he no longer felt safe returning. “I do not feel safe in my city," he said.

Videos of the incident show federal agents surrounding Pretti, a US citizen and ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center, and forcing him to the ground during a chaotic confrontation. In one clip, an officer appears to seize Pretti’s firearm before firing multiple shots as bystanders scream in shock.

Footage from another angle shows Pretti attempting to help a woman who had been pushed down by an officer.

Agents are then seen deploying tear gas, pulling Pretti away and restraining him before the fatal shooting.

The Department of Homeland Security has said the agents fired in self-defence, claiming Pretti violently resisted officers who were trying to take control of his handgun. Pretti’s family has disputed that account, saying he was trying to protect a woman near the agents.

News world 'Felt Moral Obligation': Doctor Recalls Attempt To Save US Man Shot Near Minneapolis

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