Health Care Workers Hold Vigil for Slain Colleague Alex Pretti

Nurses and other medical staff express grief and anger over the senseless killing of their peer.

Feb. 1, 2026 at 6:47pm

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Approximately 100 health care workers gathered at a vigil in downtown Minneapolis to mourn the death of their colleague, Alex Pretti, who was killed while trying to help someone in need. The vigil included moments of reflection, music, and a speech by Senator Amy Klobuchar, as the attendees expressed their grief, anger, and sense of moral injury over Pretti's senseless death.

Why it matters

The vigil highlights the immense toll the pandemic and other recent events have taken on the mental health and well-being of health care workers, who are increasingly feeling a sense of moral injury and trauma from the challenges they face. Pretti's death also raises broader questions about public safety and the risks medical professionals can face when trying to help others.

The details

The vigil was organized by Christa Rymal, a registered nurse and founder of the We Care Nonprofit Foundation, and took place at the Orchestra Hall in downtown Minneapolis. Attendees, including Catherine Cheaye and her son James, shared their grief and anger over Pretti's death, with Catherine saying, "I was angry, upset because this could've happened to me. I would've done the exact same thing. I'm a nurse, I help people. If I see someone that needs help, I'm going to help them." Rymal noted that the moral injury felt by health care workers is more intense now than during the pandemic, and that the vigil was a way to grieve and process Pretti's death.

  • The vigil was held on Sunday, February 2, 2026.

The players

Alex Pretti

A health care worker who was killed while trying to help someone in need.

Catherine Cheaye

A nurse who attended the vigil and expressed her grief and anger over Pretti's death, saying she would have done the same thing to help someone in need.

James Cheaye

The 24-year-old son of Catherine Cheaye, who attended the vigil with his mother because he has felt more anxious in recent years.

Christa Rymal

A registered nurse and the founder of the We Care Nonprofit Foundation, who organized the vigil for Pretti's peers.

Amy Klobuchar

A U.S. Senator who gave a brief speech at the vigil.

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What they’re saying

“I was angry, upset because this could've happened to me. I would've done the exact same thing. I'm a nurse, I help people. If I see someone that needs help, I'm going to help them.”

— Catherine Cheaye, Nurse (cbsnews.com)

“I was at the capital just last week with about 75 physician leaders and they said the moral injury they're feeling right now in this moment is more intense than they felt during the pandemic.”

— Christa Rymal, Registered Nurse and Founder of the We Care Nonprofit Foundation (cbsnews.com)

“My heart just sank because he's one of our own. And I know the world wants to argue who's right or who's righter, and I just saw the nurse in him. I don't even care about all the rest. I really don't. I saw his nursing heart.”

— Christa Rymal, Registered Nurse and Founder of the We Care Nonprofit Foundation (cbsnews.com)

“It always has to happen in Minnesota, which is always just really sad and really scary. So it was just really impactful to see someone trying to help other people and, unfortunately, lost their lives because of it.”

— James Cheaye (cbsnews.com)

“He's young and this affects everyone. And if there was injustice for one individual group, it could lead to everybody. So, for us to make change, everyone has to speak up, even though it doesn't affect me personally.”

— Catherine Cheaye, Nurse (cbsnews.com)

What’s next

The vigil was a way for health care workers to grieve and process Pretti's death, but it also highlighted the broader challenges and trauma they are facing. Going forward, the We Care Nonprofit Foundation and other organizations will likely continue to advocate for better support and resources for medical professionals.

The takeaway

Pretti's senseless death has deeply impacted the health care community, underscoring the immense toll the pandemic and other recent events have taken on their mental health and well-being. This tragedy serves as a sobering reminder of the risks medical professionals can face when trying to help others, and the urgent need to address the growing crisis of moral injury and trauma among those on the frontlines of healthcare.