Houston Cyclists Protest Killing of Alex Pretti in Nationwide Rides

Over 100 riders joined one of 200 rallies across the U.S. to honor the Minneapolis nurse shot by federal agents.

Jan. 31, 2026 at 5:07pm

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About 100 people rode their bicycles through Houston on Saturday afternoon to protest the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis a week earlier. The bike ride was one of more than 200 such protests nationwide, organized in solidarity with a memorial ride in Pretti's hometown.

Why it matters

The killing of Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, has inflamed tensions across the country over the Trump administration's immigration crackdown. The protests aim to honor Pretti's sacrifice and call for accountability over what many see as an unjustified use of force by federal agents.

The details

The Houston bike ride began at EaDo Bike Co. near Shell Energy Stadium and was slated to wind 15 miles through the city. Organizers said the ride was also intended to honor Renee Nicole Good, who was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on Jan. 7. Attendees expressed outrage over the shootings and a desire to build community and spur voter turnout to address what they see as an abuse of power by federal authorities.

  • The bike ride took place on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 1:30 p.m.
  • Pretti was fatally shot by federal officers on January 24, 2026 in Minneapolis.
  • Good was fatally shot by an ICE agent on January 7, 2026 in Minneapolis.

The players

Alex Pretti

A 37-year-old nurse who was fatally shot by federal immigration officers in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026.

Renee Nicole Good

A person who was fatally shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026.

Kristi Noem

The Department of Homeland Security Secretary who said Pretti intended to "inflict maximum damage" on federal agents, though video footage appeared to show officers had disarmed Pretti before shooting him.

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What they’re saying

“It was very clearly somebody murdering somebody else without justifiable cause. There was no need to have things go down the way they did, and I think people need to be held accountable for the abuse of power, and that's not happening.”

— Nelson Vanegas

“The least I can do is ride a bike and march. Let this bike ride be the catalyst.”

— Paul Barrón

“Every one of us deserves dignity, and we can enforce our laws and still treat our fellow human beings with humanity. Those two things don't have to be in conflict.”

— Nguyen H. Le

What’s next

The Federal Bureau of Investigations is leading a federal probe into the killing of Pretti, and the Justice Department said it had opened a federal civil rights investigation into the incident.

The takeaway

The nationwide protests over Pretti's killing highlight the growing tensions over the Trump administration's immigration policies and the demand for accountability over the use of force by federal agents, even as they enforce the law.