Doctor Who Fought to Treat Alex Pretti Says Border Patrol Moved His Body to Count Wounds Instead of Doing CPR

A doctor who tried to treat Alex Pretti after he was fatally shot by federal officers in Minneapolis alleges that agents appeared more focused on counting his bullet wounds than performing lifesaving care.

In a witness statement included in federal district court documents, the unnamed physician — a 29-year-old licensed pediatrician who has lived in Minneapolis since 2024 — said they were awakened by “cars honking and whistles blowing” around 9 a.m. local time on Saturday, Jan. 24.

The doctor said their view of the scene “was partially obstructed,” but they reported seeing agents shoot Pretti, 37, an ICU nurse, multiple times.

“The scene was chaotic. Many civilians were screaming and honking. Over the noise, I informed the ICE agents that I am a physician, and I asked to assess the victim,” the witness wrote.

The physician alleged that agents initially blocked them from reaching Pretti and “repeatedly asked” to see their medical license. They said that none of the agents near Pretti were performing CPR, and that Pretti appeared to be in critical condition.

“I insisted that the agents let me assess him. Normally, I would not have been so persistent, but as a physician, I felt a professional and moral obligation to help this man, especially since none of the agents were helping him,” the witness statement said.

According to the document, an agent eventually allowed the doctor to approach after conducting a pat-down to ensure the doctor “didn’t have a weapon.”

“As I approached, I saw that the victim was lying on his side and was surrounded by several ICE agents. I was confused as to why the victim was on his side, because that is not standard practice when a victim has been shot,” the physician added.

The doctor said checking for a pulse and administering CPR are standard steps in that situation — but alleged that agents did neither.

“Checking for a pulse and administering CPR is standard practice,” the witness wrote. “Instead of doing either of those things, the ICE agents appeared to be counting his bullet wounds. I asked the ICE agents if the victim had a pulse, and they said they did not know.”

The physician reported seeing “at least three bullet wounds” in Pretti’s back. After asking officers to move him onto his back, the doctor said they noticed an additional gunshot wound on Pretti’s upper left chest and another possible wound on his neck.

“I checked for a pulse, but I did not feel one. I immediately began CPR. Shortly after I started compressions, EMS personnel arrived and took over,” the witness said.

The doctor stated they remained on the scene for about five minutes after beginning CPR, then returned home as “the situation seemed to be escalating.”

Back at their apartment, the physician said they were “extremely distraught,” “sobbing and shaking uncontrollably.” They alleged tear gas later seeped into their home, prompting them to leave — first to a nearby friend’s place, then to their sister’s house about 30 minutes away.

The physician said they were “devastated by the killing of a Minnesotan by multiple federal immigration agents.”

“From what I could tell, the victim was not actively threatening ICE agents or the public — he was just yelling at the agents because he objected to ICE’s presence in our city,” the statement continued. “A person should not be shot and killed for lawfully expressing their opinions.”

The doctor added that they did not know when they would return to their apartment, saying, “I do not feel safe in my city.”

An ICE spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Pretti’s death followed the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, who was shot and killed by ICE agent Jonathan Ross in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.

The Department of Homeland Security issued a statement on X after Pretti’s death, claiming an individual had “approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun” and “violently resisted” efforts to disarm him. An agent then “fired defensive shots,” the statement said.

However, footage verified by The New York Times appeared to contradict that account, showing Pretti standing among protesters with both hands visible, holding a phone in one hand as an agent sprayed pepper spray toward the group. Several agents then moved in, and Pretti did not appear to be holding or pulling a weapon as he was pinned to the sidewalk.