The parents of Alex Pretti are speaking out about who their son was before he was fatally shot by a federal immigration agent in Minneapolis, as new witness accounts continue to raise serious questions about the government’s version of events.
Alex Pretti, 37, was an intensive care unit nurse who worked with critically ill patients at a Veterans Affairs hospital.
He was killed on January 24 during a federal immigration enforcement operation conducted by U.S. Border Patrol agents under the Department of Homeland Security.
According to DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin, agents were conducting a targeted operation related to an individual wanted for violent assault when Pretti allegedly approached officers while armed with a handgun and violently resisted attempts to disarm him.
DHS officials claimed the shooting was an act of self-defense.
Multiple videos and sworn witness statements, however, appear to contradict that account.
Footage recorded by bystanders shows Pretti holding a cellphone, not a firearm, in the moments before he was pepper-sprayed, forced to the ground, and shot at close range.
Pretti’s parents, Michael Pretti and Susan Pretti, told the Associated Press that they spoke with their son by phone just days before he was killed. The conversation, they said, was ordinary and loving.
They discussed repairs to his garage door, and Alex mentioned tipping the repairman one hundred dollars because the man was Latino and tensions were high in Minneapolis.
The parents said they knew Alex planned to attend protests and had discussed it with him weeks earlier.
Michael Pretti said they urged him to protest peacefully and avoid confrontation. According to his father, Alex acknowledged the advice and understood the risks.
After struggling to obtain information from authorities, the family confirmed Alex Pretti’s death through the Hennepin County Medical Examiner.
In a statement released after his death, Michael and Susan Pretti described their son as a “kindhearted soul” who wanted to help others and make a difference in the world.
They strongly rejected the official government narrative, calling the statements made by federal officials “sickening lies.”
Several eyewitnesses have since submitted affidavits describing the shooting and the moments leading up to it.
One witness, a woman who was driving near the protest, said Pretti helped direct traffic and was filming the scene on his phone.
She stated that after federal agents threatened protesters with pepper spray, Pretti raised his hands and attempted to help a woman who had been pushed to the ground.
She said Pretti did not appear to resist and was focused on assisting others.
According to her account, several agents then tackled him, and multiple officers opened fire while he was pinned on the sidewalk.
Another witness, a 29-year-old licensed pediatrician, said he attempted to provide emergency medical care to Pretti after the shooting.
The physician stated that agents delayed treatment by repeatedly asking for proof of medical credentials and checking him for weapons before allowing access.
When he reached Pretti, the doctor said he did not see agents checking for a pulse or administering CPR.
He said he began chest compressions himself until emergency medical personnel arrived.
Court records later revealed that Alex Pretti was struck by at least ten gunshots fired within approximately five seconds.
Alex Pretti’s death has fueled nationwide protests and renewed calls for independent investigations into federal immigration enforcement tactics and the use of lethal force.
As scrutiny intensifies, his parents say they want the public to remember who their son truly was — not the version portrayed by official statements, but a compassionate nurse, a protector, and a man who stepped in to help others when they were in danger.
