A new and deeply disturbing development has emerged in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Jeffrey Pretti by federal Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026. On January 29, a former patient of Pretti at the hospital where he worked for nearly a decade publicly released a 4-minute audio recording that allegedly captures inappropriate and unprofessional behavior by the nurse during a late-night shift in 2023.
The patient, a woman in her late 40s who has asked to remain anonymous for privacy reasons, posted the audio to a private social media group and later made it available to select media outlets. In the recording, a male voice — identified by the patient as Pretti’s — can be heard making sexually suggestive comments, laughing about a colleague’s appearance, and dismissing a patient’s pain complaint with what sounds like sarcasm: “She’s just dramatic. Give her the good stuff and she’ll shut up.” The tone is casual, almost jovial, and stands in sharp contrast to the image of Pretti as a compassionate, dedicated caregiver that has dominated public narratives since his death.
The former patient claims she recorded the exchange secretly after feeling uncomfortable during multiple interactions with Pretti. “I didn’t do it to trap him,” she told a local news station. “I did it because I felt unsafe and dismissed. Hearing him laugh about patients like that… it made me question everything he said to my face.” She says she came forward now because the “saintly nurse” portrayal in the media after his death felt dishonest and painful.
The audio has spread rapidly online, igniting a firestorm of public reaction. Supporters of Pretti — many from the healthcare and immigrant advocacy communities he served — have called the release “disrespectful to the dead” and questioned its authenticity, timing, and context. Critics, however, argue it exposes a pattern of unprofessional conduct that was hidden behind a polished public persona. “This isn’t about canceling him now that he’s gone,” one viral X post read. “It’s about remembering that people are complicated — even the ones we mourn.”
Pretti’s family has not issued a direct response to the recording but released a brief statement through their attorney: “We are aware of the audio and are deeply hurt by its release at this time. Alex was a loving father, son, and colleague who devoted his life to caring for others. We ask for respect and privacy as we grieve.” Hospital administrators declined to comment on the specific allegations but confirmed that Pretti had no formal complaints or disciplinary actions on record during his tenure.
Legal experts note that the audio, while damaging to Pretti’s posthumous reputation, is unlikely to affect the ongoing federal investigation into his shooting. The incident remains focused on the agents’ use of force during the protest, not on Pretti’s prior conduct. Still, the tape has fueled renewed debate about character evidence, public perception, and how quickly narratives can shift when new information emerges.
The recording’s authenticity has not been independently verified by major outlets, though forensic audio analysts consulted by local media said the voice matched known samples of Pretti speaking in interviews and hospital training videos. The patient claims the file is unedited and was recorded on her phone during a routine medication check.
As Minneapolis continues to grapple with the shooting’s fallout — including protests, calls for independent review, and questions about activist involvement — the emergence of this audio adds a painful new layer to an already tragic story. Alex Pretti was mourned as a healer and advocate; now some ask whether that image was ever complete.
For the family he left behind — two young children, grieving parents, and a stunned ex-wife — the revelation is another wound in an already unbearable loss. Whether the tape ultimately changes how the public remembers Pretti or simply fades amid the noise of the larger investigation, one thing is certain: the man at the center of this story was far more complicated than any single headline could capture.
