The political and civil unrest gripping the Twin Cities has reached a fever pitch following the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti, as Vice President JD Vance faces a firestorm of online condemnation for his response to the tragedy. Critics are labeling the Vice President a “disgrace” and a “liar” after he appeared to prioritize an anecdote about federal agents’ dining experiences over the death of a U.S. citizen.
The incident occurred at approximately 9:05 a.m. Saturday near Nicollet Avenue. Pretti, a respected nurse, was shot and killed by an agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) during what federal authorities described as an “enforcement operation.” While the administration has scrambled to paint Pretti as a threat, the optics of the encounter have ignited a national debate over the use of force and constitutional rights.
Video Evidence vs. Administration Rhetoric
Despite claims from the federal government that Pretti was armed, no evidence of a weapon has been produced for public record. Conversely, bystander video footage from the scene tells a harrowing story: Pretti is seen recording the federal agents with his smartphone—an act protected under the First Amendment—before being doused with pepper spray, tackled to the pavement, and subsequently shot.
The administration’s defense of the shooter has been swift and severe. White House Senior Adviser Stephen Miller took to the airwaves to brand Pretti an “assassin,” while other officials have categorized the 37-year-old as a “domestic terrorist.”
Vance’s Controversial “X” Post Sparks Fury
The latest escalation in the war of words came from Vice President JD Vance. In a lengthy post on X (formerly Twitter), Vance addressed his recent trip to Minneapolis, but notably omitted any condolences for the Pretti family. Instead, the Vice President shared a story regarding off-duty ICE and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers who were allegedly “doxed” and mobbed while attempting to eat at a local restaurant.
“The officers were locked in the restaurant, and local police refused to respond to their pleas for help,” Vance wrote, placing the blame on local authorities for refusing to cooperate with federal immigration enforcement. “They have created the chaos so they can have moments like yesterday, where someone tragically dies, and politicians get to grandstand about the evils of enforcing the border.”
Vance’s attempt to link local non-cooperation to the “madness” of the shooting was met with immediate and visceral blowback.
“Supposed to be VP for ALL Americans”
The digital response was a tidal wave of outrage. Users across the political spectrum blasted the Vice President for what they perceived as a lack of empathy and a penchant for “making up stories.”
“You’re supposed to be the VP for ALL Americans. Not just the Republicans. You are a disgrace,” one user wrote in a post that garnered thousands of interactions. Others were more blunt, calling the Vice President a “reprehensible vile liar” and a “sick f**k,” with one commenter noting the absurdity of Vance caring more about “federal agents’ lunch than a nurse being executed on the street.”
High-profile political figures also weighed in. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) issued a scathing rebuke, stating: “You are defending the open killing of everyday Americans for exercising their Constitutional rights.”
A City on the Edge
As the investigation into Pretti’s death continues, the rift between federal agencies and the Minneapolis community appears to be widening. With the administration doubling down on its “Operation Metro Surge” and local leaders remaining firm in their refusal to aid in mass deportations, the “chaos” Vance cited shows no signs of abating.
Pretti’s death, described by his colleagues at the VA as a senseless loss of a dedicated healthcare worker, has become the focal point of a movement demanding accountability from the highest levels of the executive branch.
