Minneapolis, Minnesota — A local artist has turned a cold street corner into a living memorial for Alex Jeffrey Pretti, the 37-year-old ICU nurse who was fatally shot by federal immigration agents on January 24, 2026, sparking protests and national debate over law enforcement tactics.
On January 27, three days after Pretti’s death, community artist Noval Noir painted a large portrait of Pretti on Nicollet Avenue and West 26th Street, the very intersection where he was killed during a federal operation.
Despite temperatures in the single digits, Noir chose to work live at the memorial site, saying he felt compelled to bear witness and contribute something meaningful to the grieving community.
“I can be here painting and bearing witness… This is how I can give back to the community,” Noir said, adding that his art was also a way to help heal collective pain.
The mural adds to a growing wave of street art, portraits, and public tributes that have emerged in the Twin Cities since Pretti’s death.
Pretti, who worked as an intensive care nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System, was captured on video at protests surrounding federal immigration enforcement, and footage shared online appears to contradict official claims about the circumstances of his shooting.
Noir is already known locally for using public art to honor individuals affected by tragic violence.
A few weeks earlier, he painted a large portrait of Renée Nicole Good, another Minneapolis resident killed by federal law enforcement officers on January 7, at the memorial site near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue.
Good’s death, like Pretti’s, drew intense public scrutiny and protests.
Both portraits have become focal points for community gatherings, vigils, and demonstrations.
Residents, healthcare workers, activists, and passersby have stopped to pay their respects at the site where Pretti’s portrait now stands, sometimes laying flowers or pausing for silent reflection.
Noir’s choice to paint outdoors, in freezing conditions, underscores how some artists in Minneapolis see their work as a form of civic engagement — visually chronicling public grief and sparking continued conversation about accountability, justice, and the use of force.
According to his official profile, Noval Noir is a Twin Cities multidisciplinary artist whose work often blends live performance, community interaction, and commemorative art.
The murals honoring Pretti and Good both reflect a community still processing back-to-back killings and struggling with broader questions about federal enforcement practices.
As the debate continues, artists like Noir are using paint and public space to keep these conversations alive — and to give faces and names to those at the center of national headlines.
@startribune Artist Noval Noir painted a portrait of Alex Pretti on Jan. 27 at Nicollet Avenue and W. 26th Street, where Pretti was shot and killed by federal agents four days prior. Despite single-digit temperatures, Noir felt she had to paint live at the memorial site. “I can be out here painting and bear witness. … This is the way I can give back to community,” Noir said. “This is the way I can heal community.” Noir painted a portrait of Renee Good at the corner of E. 34th Street and Portland Avenue three weeks ago. 📝: Alicia Eler 🎥: Casey Darnell + Rich Tsong-Taatarii
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