MS NOW airs AI-enhanced image of slain nurse Alex Pretti
MS NOW broadcast an AI-enhanced photograph of Minneapolis nurse Alex Pretti, who had been fatally shot by federal immigration agents, on January 26, 2026. The network's parent company said the image was obtained from the internet without knowledge it had been altered, and the network later removed or corrected the image on some platforms.
What happened
On January 26, 2026, MS NOW's show 'Deadline: White House,' hosted by Nicolle Wallace, broadcast an AI-enhanced photograph of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis intensive care nurse who had been fatally shot by federal immigration agents on January 24. The manipulated image was displayed on the TV channel, featured in a YouTube video and thumbnail, on the network's website, and on MSN.com.
A spokesperson for Versant Media Group, MS NOW's parent company, told Snopes the network obtained the image from the internet without knowing someone had altered it, and said the network itself did not enhance the photograph. According to commentary from Megyn Kelly, the AI-enhanced version darkened Pretti's hair, filled in hair to make him appear less bald, applied a tan, whitened his teeth, and may have straightened a tooth.
Reported impact
The broadcast of an inauthentic image during a segment discussing a police killing prompted misinformation concerns, particularly because host Wallace was discussing the importance of believing factual reporting while displaying the altered image. As of January 29, 2026, only the YouTube version had been corrected.
Index analysis
The incident represents the unwitting distribution of AI-manipulated imagery by a major news outlet during coverage of a sensitive news event involving a fatality. The image enhancement appeared designed to make the subject appear more physically attractive, which raised questions about the authenticity of visual reporting in news media.
Governance controls
MS NOW replaced the thumbnail image on its YouTube video after the AI enhancement was identified, though corrections were slower to appear on other platforms where the image had been distributed.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.