The front of the Ventura County Government Center became a site of protest this past weekend as residents gathered to honor the memory of 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti.
Pretti, a specialized ICU nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs hospital, was fatally shot by federal agents on January 24, 2026, while participating in an immigration-related protest in Minnesota.
Protesters in Ventura carried "RIP Alex Pretti" signs and urged passing motorists to honk in a show of solidarity against federal law enforcement violence.
The rally focused on reports that Pretti was attempting to protect another protester from being tackled by agents when he was pepper-sprayed, pinned to the ground, and shot.
Witnesses and video analysis have since disputed federal claims that Pretti was brandishing a weapon, with multiple outlets reporting he was only holding a cell phone.
The local demonstrators expressed a deep sense of frustration with the current political climate and the heavy presence of federal agents in residential communities.
Many noted that Pretti was a beloved healthcare worker with no criminal record who had spent his career caring for American veterans.
The rally in Ventura mirrored similar vigils held across the country as supporters demand a full, independent investigation into the shooting.