A 4-minute audio recording allegedly captured during a late-night hospital shift has exploded across social media and news outlets, threatening to completely shatter the public image of Alex Jeffrey Pretti — the 37-year-old ICU nurse who was fatally shot by federal Border Patrol agents during a Minneapolis protest on January 24, 2026.
The audio, released by a former patient who says she recorded it secretly in 2023 after feeling “unsafe and dismissed,” features a male voice identified by the woman as Pretti’s. In the clip, the speaker makes sexually suggestive comments about female colleagues, laughs off a patient’s pain complaint with apparent sarcasm (“She’s just dramatic — give her the good stuff and she’ll shut up”), and — most disturbingly — whispers what sounds like veiled threats to “keep quiet” about an unspecified incident involving medication and another nurse.
The former patient, who has asked to remain anonymous, told local media she recorded the exchange after repeated uncomfortable interactions with Pretti. “He would make jokes that felt wrong, dismiss real pain, and then act completely different when families were around,” she said. “I kept the file because I didn’t feel safe. Hearing him talk like that behind closed doors made me question everything he said to my face.”
The leak has ignited fierce public outrage and disbelief. For weeks, Pretti had been mourned as a compassionate caregiver, a dedicated father, and an advocate for immigrant rights — the “hero nurse” who stayed late to comfort families and advocated for better healthcare equity. Colleagues described him as “consistently kind” and “the calm in the storm” during the worst pandemic shifts. Now, that image is under siege.
Social media is ablaze with reactions. Supporters of Pretti call the release “disrespectful to the dead” and question the tape’s authenticity and context. Critics argue it exposes a long-hidden pattern of unprofessional — and potentially abusive — conduct. “The ‘devoted nurse’ story was always too perfect,” one viral post read. “This tape shows who he really was when the cameras weren’t rolling.”
Hospital administrators issued a brief statement confirming Pretti had no formal complaints or disciplinary actions on record during his tenure. “We take all allegations seriously and are cooperating fully with any inquiries,” the release said. Forensic audio analysts consulted by local news outlets have said the voice matches known samples of Pretti speaking in interviews and hospital training videos, though no official verification has been released.
The timing of the leak — just days after Pretti’s death — has fueled speculation about motive. Some accuse the patient of exploiting the tragedy for attention; others believe it was released to counter the “martyr” narrative that quickly emerged among activists and online supporters. Pretti’s family has not commented on the audio but previously released a statement asking for respect and privacy during their grief.
The recording has also intensified scrutiny of the federal investigation into the shooting. Pretti was killed during a protest against immigration enforcement operations. Body-worn camera footage shows him approaching agents while armed, ignoring commands to stop. No clear frame shows him drawing or pointing the weapon, but agents maintain they acted on perceived imminent threat. The audio leak has added fuel to conspiracy theories claiming Pretti was targeted for his activism — though no evidence supports that narrative.
For Pretti’s family — including his two young children and grieving parents — the audio is another wound in an already unbearable loss. “Alex was a loving father and son who devoted his life to caring for others,” a family spokesperson said. “We are aware of the audio and deeply hurt by its release at this time. We ask for respect while we grieve.”
Whether the tape ultimately changes how the public remembers Alex Pretti or simply fades amid the larger controversy, one thing is undeniable: the man at the center of this story was far more complicated than any single narrative could capture. The devoted nurse who comforted strangers in their darkest hours may also have been the man who whispered cruel jokes in hospital corridors when he thought no one was listening.
As the federal investigation continues and the city of Minneapolis remains tense, the leaked audio ensures that Alex Pretti’s legacy — once defined by compassion — will now be debated through a darker, more uncomfortable lens.
