Jimmy Kimmel Breaks Down on Air Over Killing of Minneapolis ICU Nurse

Jimmy Kimmel set comedy aside on Monday night as he delivered an emotional and angry monologue on Jimmy Kimmel Live, condemning the killing of Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents.

The late-night host, who is known to turn serious after major tragedies, broke down twice while speaking, drawing no laughs from the audience. Instead, the crowd listened in silence, erupting into applause at several points during the speech.

Kimmel opened by describing how he spent the weekend watching videos from Minneapolis, saying he felt “shocked” and “sick” by what he saw. He spoke of Americans being pulled from cars, families being separated, and children being tear-gassed.

“One atrocity after another,” Kimmel said, accusing federal agents of acting without accountability and calling their actions “vile” and “heartless.”

The host focused much of his monologue on the killing of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who was shot after stepping in during a confrontation. Kimmel challenged official claims that the shooting was justified, pointing out that Pretti legally carried a firearm in an open-carry state and never drew or touched it before being shot.

“They fired ten times into an ICU nurse,” Kimmel said, questioning how such an act could be described as lawful or justified.

Kimmel also shared how the situation feels personal to him. He revealed that he and his wife have family in Minneapolis who are now afraid to go to work or take their children to school.

“I can only imagine how people who aren’t white feel about this,” he added.

Throughout the monologue, Kimmel questioned the lack of investigations into the killing and criticized political leaders for dismissing what was clearly visible in videos circulating online. He asked whether Americans could at least agree that peaceful people, including a nurse and a mother driving her child to school, should not be killed by those meant to protect the public.

At one point, Kimmel bluntly said, “If that was ISIS instead of ICE, we’d be firing missiles at somebody.”

He urged viewers, especially those on the political right, to speak out. “The only people who can stop this are on the right,” he said, calling for courage and common sense over party loyalty.

As the monologue came to a close, Kimmel addressed the people of Minneapolis directly, offering support to the Pretti family and another family affected by the violence.

“We are with you, and you are not alone,” he said, visibly emotional.

Kimmel ended by paying tribute to Pretti, pushing back against claims that labeled him a threat. “Alex Pretti was an ICU nurse who treated veterans,” he said. “That’s about as patriotic as it gets.”

Fighting back tears, Kimmel played a video showing Pretti honoring a veteran patient who had passed away. He closed with a simple farewell: “Alex Pretti, may he rest in peace.”