Topline
A man killed by a Border Patrol agent in Minnesota on Saturday has been identified as Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse from Minneapolis.
Federal agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a south Minneapolis resident, amid a scuffle to arrest him.
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Key Facts
The American Nurses Association released a statement Saturday afternoon stating it “is deeply disturbed and saddened to learn of the death of Alex Pretti, a registered nurse, in Minneapolis earlier today,” adding, “We extend our condolences to Alex’s loved ones, colleagues, and the community at large.”
According to a person The Guardian reported was a colleague, Dimitri Drekonja, Pretti worked in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs “as a nurse to support critically ill Veterans” and exemplified “such a great attitude.”
Drekonja said he and Pretti would “chat between patients about trying to get in a mountain bike ride together. Will never happen now.”
A former student at the University of Minnesota, Pretti was issued his nursing license in 2021, according to the Minnesota Star Tribune.
Pretti’s father, Michael Pretti, told the AP his son was protesting against Immigration and Customs Enforcement because “he cared about people deeply and he was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis and throughout the United States with ICE, as millions of other people are upset.”
Crucial Quote
“This is not a violent person,” said Jeanne Wiener, a neighbor who told The New York Times that Pretti often exchanged “pleasantries with neighbors.”
What Did Authorities Say About Pretti?
Though authorities have not formally identified Pretti, Minneapolis police chief Brian O’Hara said the man killed was an American citizen and was a “lawful gun over” with a permit. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino said a man approached federal officers while armed with a 9 mm handgun, and believed the man “wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement,” but Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz referred to the federal narrative as “nonsense.” The man did not have a criminal background, according to O’Hara, who said he only had parking tickets on his record.
Key Background
Pretti became the second person this month to be shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis, following the Jan. 7 fatal shooting of Renee Good. Pretti, like Good, was shot multiple times by a federal agent who, according to the Department of Homeland Security, had feared for his life. Minneapolis authorities were unable to corroborate the federal statement, with video from the scene showing agents repeatedly striking Pretti before he was shot.
Further Reading
Trump Blasts Minnesota Democrats As ‘Inciting Insurrection’ After Man Killed By Border Patrol (Forbes)