Minneapolis Nurse Alex Pretti’s Shooting Sparks Controversy and Calls for Transparency
A 37-year-old intensive care nurse, identified by his family as Alex Pretti, was fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis on Saturday, igniting a firestorm of conflicting accounts and raising questions about the use of force.
The death of Pretti, a dedicated healthcare worker and passionate advocate for social and environmental causes, has prompted an outpouring of grief and demands for a thorough investigation.The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) maintains that an agent fired in self-defense after Pretti, allegedly armed with a handgun, resisted attempts to disarm him. Though, this narrative is fiercely contested by eyewitnesses, officials, and Pretti’s family, who assert that videos of the incident clearly show Pretti was not holding a gun when he was tackled by federal agents.
The circumstances surrounding Pretti’s death are particularly sensitive, occurring against a backdrop of heightened tensions following the shooting of Renee Good, 37, by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent earlier this month. pretti, understood to have been deeply affected by Good’s death, had reportedly joined protests in response. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz described Pretti as “Someone who went to work to care for veterans, someone who was a valued co-worker, someone who relished and lived in this state in a big way, whether it was outdoor activities or being down ther on the street as a First Amendment witness to what ICE is doing to this state.”
Political and Environmental concerns
According to reports, Pretti was also deeply troubled by the political climate, particularly former President Donald trump’s policies on immigration and environmental regulations.His mother, Susan Pretti, told the Associated press that her son “hated that…people were just trashing the land.” She described him as an avid outdoorsman who cherished nature and frequently took his dog, Joule, on adventures.
Family members emphasize that Pretti had no prior interactions with law enforcement beyond a handful of traffic tickets and possessed no criminal record. They also revealed that he legally owned a handgun and held a permit to carry, but they were unaware of him ever actually carrying the weapon. minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara corroborated this information, stating that police believed Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a valid permit.
Family’s plea for truth
In the wake of reports characterizing Pretti as a “domestic terrorist,” his family issued a scathing statement, denouncing what they called “the sickening lies told about our son by the administration.” They asserted that videos of the incident clearly show Pretti was not holding a gun when he was tackled by federal agents. “Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man,” they pleaded.
Pretti’s ex-wife told the Associated Press that he was a vocal participant in protests following the death of George Floyd in 2020, frequently enough expressing his frustrations with law enforcement, but never resorting to physical confrontation. A neighbor, Sue Gitar, described him as “a marvelous person” with “a great heart,” adding, “I never thought of him as a person who carried a gun.”
Born in Illinois and raised in green Bay, Wisconsin, Pretti was a well-rounded individual who excelled in sports during his youth, participating in football, baseball, and track. He was also involved in the Boy Scouts and the Green Bay Boy Choir.He later earned a bachelor’s degree in biology, society, and the environment from the University of Minnesota in 2011 before pursuing a career as a registered nurse.
His parents recounted their last conversation with him,which centered on mundane home repairs,highlighting his everyday kindness – he had recently tipped a Latino handyman $100. Doctor Dmitri Drekonja, a colleague and friend, expressed his disbelief at the accusations leveled against Pretti, stating, “He was the type of person you enjoyed being around and the notion that this helpful, smiling joking guy was being labelled a terrorist? It’s galling.”
As the investigation continues, the family and community remain steadfast in their demand for transparency and accountability, seeking to ensure that the truth about Alex Pretti’s death is brought to light.
