Who was Alex Pretti? 37-year-old ICU nurse shot by federal agent in Minneapolis

A 37-year-old man was shot dead by federal officers in Minneapolis on Saturday (Jan 24) amid the immigration crackdown launched by US President Donald Trump’s administration. The shooting is the third in the state of Minnesota, and the second fatal one after Renee Good was shot in the head by ICE agents. The incident drew hundreds of protesters out in the streets amid freezing temperatures as local authorities expressed outrage.

Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara declined to identify the man who was shot by Border Patrol officers during the protest. The 37-year-old was identified by his parents as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an intensive care unit nurse, Associated Press reported. Federal officials have said that the agent involved in the shooting is an eight-year Border Patrol veteran.

Several videos of the shooting captured by bystanders have been circulated on social media. While the Trump administration claimed that Pretti was armed, videos seem to only show him holding a phone in his hand.

Who was Alex Pretti?

Born in Illinois, Pretti was a US citizen and had no criminal record, according to court documents. His family said that he had never interacted with law enforcement beyond a handful of traffic tickets. His family said that he deeply cared about people and was upset with the things happening in Minneapolis and across other US states amid the immigration crackdown. He participated in the protest as he felt what was happening was terrible and wrong.

“He cared about people deeply and he was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis and throughout the United States with ICE, as millions of other people are upset,” said Michael Pretti, Alex’s father. “He thought it was terrible, you know, kidnapping children, just grabbing people off the street. He cared about those people, and he knew it was wrong, so he did participate in protests.”

His parents, who lived in Colorado, had urged him to be cautious while protesting in a recent conversation.

“We had this discussion with him two weeks ago or so, you know, that go ahead and protest, but do not engage, do not do anything stupid, basically,” Michael Pretti said. “And he said he knows that. He knew that.”

Did Pretti own a gun?

The Department of Homeland Security said that Pretti was shot after he “approached” Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, without specifying whether he brandished the gun. In the videos circulated on social media, he is seen with a phone in his hand, but none appear to show a visible weapon with him.

Pretti’s family said he owned a handgun and had a permit to carry a concealed handgun in Minnesota. They added that they had never known him to carry it.