Pretti’s father, Michael, also recalled a different conversation, telling Alex if he protests to be cautious and “not engage”
NEED TO KNOW
Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot point-blank by a federal immigration agent in Minneapolis, Minn., on Jan. 24
The day he was killed, his parents, Michael and Susan Pretti, said that they last spoke to their son a couple of days before his death
The parents also issued a formal statement that day, saying, “We are heartbroken but also very angry”
The parents of Alex Pretti shared insights into who their son was before he was shot by a federal immigration agent in Minneapolis on Jan. 24.
Pretti was a 37-year-old ICU nurse who was shot point-blank by a U.S. Border Patrol officer during “a targeted operation” against “an illegal alien wanted for violent assault,” Department of Homeland Security (DHS) assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin told PEOPLE in a statement on Jan. 24.
McLaughlin claimed that a man, later identified as lawful gun owner Pretti, “approached” officers while armed with a handgun. She claimed he “violently resisted” as they attempted to disarm him. Since DHS’ statement, witnesses have shared videos that contradict the agency’s claims, including that Pretti was holding a phone, not a gun, in the moments before the killing.
After his death, Pretti’s parents, Michael and Susan, told the Associated Press that they spoke to him on the phone a couple of days before he was killed.
They spoke about the repairs to his home’s garage door, Michael and Susan told the AP. They said the man who repaired the garage door was Latino, and Alex gave him a $100 tip because of all that was happening in Minneapolis
The parents were aware that Pretti planned to protest and had discussed it with him in a previous conversation.
“We had this discussion with him two weeks ago or so, you know, that go ahead and protest, but do not engage, do not do anything stupid, basically,” Michael told the AP.
“And he said he knows that,” Michael continued. “He knew that.”
The family confirmed Pretti’s death with the Hennepin County Medical Examiner after they tried reaching out to officials in Minnesota.
Related Stories
Alex Pretti’s Family: What to Know About His Parents, Sister and Ex-Wife
In a statement released after Prett’s death was confirmed, they described him as a “kindhearted soul.” They also rejected the DHS’ account of the shooting, calling the statements “sickening lies.”
“We are heartbroken but also very angry,” the statement began. “Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately he will not be with us to see his impact.”
Six witnesses have recalled the shooting and medical care Pretti received in submitted affidavits. One was a woman driving who was instructed by Pretti where to park amid the protests. In addition to directing traffic, he was filming the scene on his cell phone, the witness alleges.
Pretti later walked over with his camera out to film and “support” the observers who were threatened with pepper spray by federal agents.
“[Pretti] put his hands above his head and the agent sprayed him again and pushed him. Then [Pretti] tried to help up the woman the ICE agent had shoved to the ground. The ICE agents just kept spraying,” the woman wrote. “It didn’t look like he was trying to resist, just trying to help the woman up.”
She said that agents then took Pretti down, and when he was on the ground, four or five agents “started shooting him.”
A second witness, an unidentified 29-year-old licensed pediatrician, attempted to offer medical care to Alex, who was in “critical condition.”
Despite informing the ICE agents that they are a physician, the agents “repeatedly asked” for a physician’s license, the witness said in federal district court documents obtained by PEOPLE. Eventually, he was permitted to “assess the victim” after they “patted” them down to make sure they “didn’t have a weapon.”
Once there, he saw Alex “lying on his side and was surrounded by several ICE agents,” and did not see the agents check for a pulse or administer CPR.
“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 said.
“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. It was later revealed that Alex sustained at least 10 gunshots fired within five seconds.
News
Elena Ward’s knees hit the frozen ground outside Copper Ridge Station, her arms wrapped tight around three shivering children as the Montana wind screamed through the darkness
Elena Ward’s knees hit the frozen ground outside Copper Ridge Station, her arms wrapped tight around three shivering children as the Montana wind screamed through the darkness. Every door in town had already slammed shut. Every face had turned away from the widow they deemed unworthy of mercy.Her youngest son’s lips were turning blue, her […]
She fell. He stayed silent for 45 minutes — now, black box data is reconstructing what Lynette Hooker’s husband did before anyone was alerted… 👇👇
A critical gap in the timeline of Lynette Hooker’s disappearance is now under intense scrutiny—a 45-minute period during which no immediate distress report was made after she reportedly entered the water. Newly examined navigation or “black box”–type data is helping investigators reconstruct that window with greater precision. While full findings have not been publicly released, […]
The mysterious 45-minute “silence” after Lynette Hooker fell into the water: Why didn’t her husband report it immediately? What was he doing during those 45 minutes? New black box data has revealed it all… 👇👇
A critical gap in the timeline of Lynette Hooker’s disappearance is now under intense scrutiny—a 45-minute period during which no immediate distress report was made after she reportedly entered the water. Newly examined navigation or “black box”–type data is helping investigators reconstruct that window with greater precision. While full findings have not been publicly released, […]
FAMILY TRAGEDY: Lynette Hooker’s daughter discovers her mother’s last desperate plea for help before being pushed overboard, hidden in an unsent draft, which read…👇👇
A deeply emotional development has emerged in the case of Lynette Hooker, as reports surface about an unsent draft message believed to have been written shortly before her disappearance. According to those close to the family, the message was discovered on a device linked to Lynette and has since been handed over to investigators for […]
The narrative shifts again: Lynette Hooker’s cause of death is no longer believed to be drowning — as forensic results point in a different direction… 👇
A new development in the case of Lynette Hooker is shifting the direction of the investigation, as authorities focus on a small but potentially crucial detail: a key she was reportedly carrying before she disappeared. What investigators have now discovered about that key is forcing them to expand the search area beyond the originally defined […]
Just now: A key Lynette Hooker carried before she vanished has become a critical clue — and what police just discovered is forcing a sudden expansion of the search area…
A new development in the case of Lynette Hooker is shifting the direction of the investigation, as authorities focus on a small but potentially crucial detail: a key she was reportedly carrying before she disappeared. What investigators have now discovered about that key is forcing them to expand the search area beyond the originally defined […]
End of content
No more pages to load
