AT A GLANCE
- A 37-year-old ICU nurse at a VA hospital was shot and killed by a U.S. Border Patrol officer during an immigration crackdown in Minneapolis.
- Family members say Alex Jeffrey Pretti was unarmed at the time and was holding his phone, not a weapon.
- Federal officials claim Pretti approached officers with a handgun, but bystander videos do not appear to show one.
- The family says they struggled to get basic information from authorities after his death and are demanding accountability.
Conflicting Accounts Over Whether Pretti Had a Weapon
Family members have identified the man killed by a U.S. Border Patrol officer during an immigration operation in Minneapolis as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse who worked at a Veterans Affairs hospital and had been actively protesting the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
Pretti was shot Saturday amid heightened federal enforcement activity in the city. Hospital records obtained by the Associated Press confirmed the fatal shooting, which occurred as protests erupted nearby. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said he contacted the White House following the incident.
According to his family, Pretti was deeply disturbed by recent immigration raids and detentions in Minneapolis and across the country. His father, Michael Pretti, said his son felt morally compelled to protest what he believed were violations of basic human rights.
“He cared about people deeply,” Michael Pretti said. “He thought what was happening was wrong—children being taken, people grabbed off the street. He couldn’t ignore it.”
Conflicting Accounts of the Shooting
Federal officials, including Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, have said Pretti approached Border Patrol officers with a 9mm semiautomatic handgun. The Department of Homeland Security claimed the officer fired after Pretti “approached” agents, though officials have not stated whether the gun was brandished.
Bystander videos that circulated shortly after the shooting appear to show Pretti holding a phone in his hand. None of the footage reviewed publicly shows a visible firearm.
Pretti’s family acknowledged that he legally owned a handgun and had a Minnesota permit to carry a concealed weapon, but said they had never known him to carry it during protests—or at all.
“He wasn’t reckless,” his father said. “We talked to him about being careful. He knew the risks.”
Family Says They Were Left in the Dark
The family said they first learned of the shooting not from authorities, but from an Associated Press reporter who contacted them for comment. After seeing video of the incident, they began calling Minnesota officials and federal agencies in an effort to confirm what had happened.
“I couldn’t get information from anyone,” Michael Pretti said. “Police told us to call Border Patrol. Border Patrol was closed. Hospitals wouldn’t answer questions.”
Hours later, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner confirmed there was a body matching their son’s name and description. As of Saturday evening, the family said no federal law enforcement agency had formally contacted them.
After administration officials publicly characterized their son as a “domestic terrorist,” the family released a sharply worded statement condemning what they called false and inflammatory claims.
“The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible,” the statement read. The family said video shows Pretti holding his phone while using his other hand to shield a woman being pepper-sprayed by officers.
“Please get the truth out,” they wrote. “He was a good man.”
A Life of Service and Community
Pretti was born in Illinois and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin, where he attended Preble High School. He played football and baseball, ran track, participated in Boy Scouts, and sang in the Green Bay Boy Choir.
He later attended the University of Minnesota, graduating in 2011 with a degree in biology, society, and the environment. After working as a research scientist, he returned to school to become a registered nurse, eventually working long hours in an ICU caring for veterans.
Court records show Pretti had no criminal history beyond minor traffic violations.
History of Peaceful Protest
Pretti had participated in protests before, including demonstrations following the 2020 killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police. His ex-wife said he was outspoken and politically active but never physically confrontational.
“He might yell at officers at a protest,” she said, “but I never knew him to be violent.”
She confirmed Pretti obtained a concealed carry permit several years ago but said she was unaware of him carrying a firearm during demonstrations.
Neighbors Remember a Quiet, Caring Presence
Pretti lived alone in a four-unit condominium about two miles from where he was shot. Neighbors described him as reserved, generous, and quick to help.
“He had a great heart,” said Sue Gitar, who lived downstairs. “If there was a problem in the building, he was the first one to step in.”
While neighbors knew Pretti owned firearms for recreational use at gun ranges, they said the idea that he regularly carried a pistol was surprising.
“I never thought of him as someone who carried a gun,” Gitar said.
An Outdoorsman Who Loved the Country—and Criticized Its Direction
An avid cyclist and outdoorsman, Pretti was especially close to his dog, Joule, a Catahoula Leopard dog who died about a year ago. His parents said his last conversation with them involved routine home repairs—and a story that captured his values.
After hiring a Latino worker to fix his garage door, Pretti tipped the man $100, telling his parents he was worried about how immigration enforcement was affecting people in the city.
Pretti’s mother, Susan, said her son was also deeply troubled by environmental rollbacks under the Trump administration.
“He loved this country,” she said. “But he hated what people were doing to it—trashing the land, hurting people. He couldn’t stay silent.”
As investigations continue, Pretti’s family says their focus remains on accountability—and ensuring their son is remembered not as a threat, but as a caregiver, protester, and neighbor who believed standing up for others was worth the risk.
