The family of Alex Pretti — the 37-year-old ICU nurse who was shot and killed by federal officers in Minneapolis — is speaking out publicly, saying they are devastated and furious about what they call false claims made about him.
In a statement obtained by CNN, Pretti’s relatives said they are “heartbroken but also very angry,” describing him as a compassionate person devoted to his loved ones and to the veterans he cared for through his work as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital.
“Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends, and also the American veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital,” the family said. “Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately, he will not be with us to see his impact.”
They also offered their version of what happened just before he was killed, saying Pretti may have been trying to protect a woman moments before he was shot.
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The family’s statement sharply criticized the current federal leadership under President Donald Trump, accusing officials of spreading misinformation about their son.
“The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting,” they wrote.
A Department of Homeland Security (DHS) spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, previously alleged in a statement that Pretti approached U.S. Border Patrol officers while armed with a handgun and “violently resisted” as officers tried to disarm him. According to her account, an agent then fired “defensive shots.”
After the shooting, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara was asked about the federal account during a press conference. He pointed to footage from the scene and said, “The video speaks for itself.”
Pretti’s family disputed the DHS description, insisting he was not holding a gun when he was attacked.
“Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs,” the family wrote.
They claimed he had his phone in his right hand, with his left hand empty and raised above his head, and said he was trying to shield a woman who they allege had just been pushed down — all while he was being pepper-sprayed.
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“Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man. Thank you,” the statement concluded.
McLaughlin also said federal officers were carrying out a “targeted operation in Minneapolis against an illegal alien wanted for violent assault” at around 9:00 a.m. local time on Jan. 24.
The Associated Press reported that at least 200 protesters gathered near the scene shortly afterward, leading to confrontations between residents and federal law enforcement.
During the Jan. 24 press conference, O’Hara said early information suggested “more than one law enforcement officer” may have been involved in the discharge of a weapon, and he referenced “public video that shows several law enforcement officers in a scuffle with someone.”
According to Pretti’s nursing license, he had been a registered nurse since January 2021 and previously worked at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
