Saturday morning in south Minneapolis started like most protests against the Trump administration’s immigration sweeps: tense but contained, with locals pushing back against federal raids.
Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital, joined the crowd on Nicollet Avenue, phone out to record Border Patrol agents shoving demonstrators.
A video that spread fast online catches the moment an agent pepper-sprays Pretti after he steps between officers and a woman on the ground, then six agents pile on to wrestle him down.
Within seconds, gunfire erupts, with at least ten shots fired over five seconds while Pretti lies pinned on the sidewalk. Medics rushed in for chest compressions, but he was gone right there.
Pretti had no record beyond traffic tickets and held a legal concealed carry permit, details that came out as the family begged for the truth about their “kind-hearted” son who cared for vets every shift. The scene unfolded just weeks after Renee Good’s similar fatal run-in with feds, turning a routine demo into the city’s second flashpoint.
Agents Say Gun, Videos Say Otherwise
The Department of Homeland Security jumped first with a statement claiming Pretti approached armed with a handgun and two magazines, then resisted disarming before an agent fired in self-defense.
A bystander video reviewed by major outlets shows an agent pulling what looks like a weapon from Pretti’s post-shooting, but analysis pins a cell phone in his hand right before the shots.
Alex Pretti (Credit: BBC)
Witnesses backed that up in court papers, one describing Pretti directing traffic to keep protesters safe when agents barked orders and opened fire without warning.
A pediatrician who ran to help called out the agents for counting wounds instead of starting aid, noting Pretti lay on his side rather than in the standard recovery position.
Pretti’s parents leaned into the disconnect, pleading through local leaders for facts since their son lived to help others, not harm cops. The American Nurses Association echoed that grief, demanding a full probe into how a caregiver ended up dead in a federal scrum.
Protests Rage As Leaders Push Back Hard
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey didn’t wait, filing for a restraining order against the immigration push and asking Governor Tim Walz for National Guard help to back thin police lines. Police Chief Brian O’Hara confirmed Pretti’s clean slate and lawful gun status, fueling demands for bodycam footage and agent names.
The killing hit extra raw after Good’s death earlier this month, with nurses’ and vets’ groups rallying behind Pretti as a symbol of everyday folks caught in policy crossfire. Streets filled again on Sunday, chants mixing sorrow with anger at a federal machine that twice turned phones and questions into body counts.
Federal silence on video specifics left room for doubt, but local vows of accountability signal this won’t fade quietly.
Pretti’s colleagues remembered a guy who lit up rooms at the VA, treating patients like family, now gone because a tense street moment spiraled. Families like his wait for justice while cities brace for more sparks from the same dry tinder.
Buzz Williams landed at Texas A&M in 2019 full of fire, fresh off turning Virginia Tech around. He built a gritty squad known for lockdown defense and late surges, snagging SEC Coach of the Year twice in four years.
Regular seasons hummed along nicely, with peaks like 15-3 in conference during 2022-23, but NCAA stumbles killed the buzz.
Over six seasons, the Aggies racked up a 120-73 mark, hitting the tournament three straight years from 2023 to 2025.
Yet they crashed out fast each time: first round in 2023, round of 32 in 2024 against Penn State, and again in 2025 versus Michigan as a No. 4 seed. Yahoo Sports pointed to those early exits as a big letdown, especially after NIT runner-up glory in 2022.
Fans grew restless watching rivals like Alabama and Tennessee surge deeper. Williams posted decent wins, 23-11 in his last year, fifth in the brutal SEC, but no Sweet 16 magic like his Marquette or Hokies days. Wikipedia logs it clearly: his pattern of building quickly, then bouncing left A&M short of breakthroughs.
Behind-the-Scenes Chill and Pattern Play
Whispers of trouble surfaced late in his run. ESPN analyst Seth Greenberg claimed Williams and AD Trev Alberts barely talked for a year, signaling frosty vibes. Post-tournament silence stretched two weeks after the Michigan loss, per Texas reporter Brian Davis, hinting at no smooth farewell.
Buzz Williams (Credit: CBS)
Williams never overstays; six years at Marquette, five at Virginia Tech, and now six at A&M. Distractify noted he eyed Maryland before their coach even bolted, chasing fresh turf amid NIL cash floods and roster flips. Texas A&M brass let his buyout drop to $1 million, easing the switch.
Aggie fans lit up socials with mixed fury and shrugs. SI.com captured his goodbye post, thanking supporters while his eyes turned to College Park. Alberts issued a curt wish-you-well, fueling talk of mutual relief after good-not-great years.
Terps Bet Big, Aggies Hunt Next Savior
Maryland swooped in with a $30.3 million, six-year pact, with perks like car and phone allowances tossed in. They needed a builder post-Kevin Willard’s gripes over funding and his jump to Villanova. Williams knows the DMV recruiting goldmine from Hokie days and is primed to tap it.
Early at Maryland in 2025-26, results lag at 8-11 and 1-7 in the Big Ten, but expectations simmer for his track record to kick in. ESPN hailed him as a program fixer, jumping from the SEC to the Big Ten. Meanwhile, A&M eyes splash hires like Chris Beard or Brad Underwood to battle the loaded conference.
Williams’ hop spotlights coaching carousel chaos: power shifts, NIL wars, deep runs, or bust. Aggieland faithful ponder if his grind built enough base or if he was just passing the time. As he reloads in College Park, College Station braces for the next voice to roar.
