SUNTV Global Channel | January 25, 2026
The parents of a Minneapolis nurse fatally shot by U.S. federal agents during an immigration enforcement operation have described their son’s final moments as “heroic,” strongly disputing official claims that he posed a threat.
Alex Jeffrey Pretti, 37, an intensive care unit nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs hospital, was shot and killed on Saturday during a federal immigration action on the city’s south side. Pretti, a U.S. citizen, was rushed to hospital with multiple gunshot wounds and later pronounced dead, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.
The shooting—reported to be the second fatal incident involving federal agents in Minneapolis in recent weeks—has ignited protests and renewed criticism of immigration enforcement tactics under the Trump administration.
In an emotional statement, Pretti’s parents, Michael and Susan Pretti, said their son was unarmed and was attempting to help another person when he was killed. They rejected federal authorities’ assertion that agents acted in self-defence after Pretti allegedly approached them with a handgun.
“We are heartbroken but also very angry,” the parents said. “Alex was a kindhearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends, and for the American veterans he served as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. He wanted to make a difference in this world.”
Describing his final moments, they added: “I do not throw around the hero term lightly. However, his last thought and act was to protect a woman. Alex was holding his phone in his right hand, his left hand empty and raised, while trying to shield a woman who had just been pushed down, all while being pepper-sprayed.”
The family accused federal officials of spreading what they called “sickening lies” about their son and urged the public and media to help “get the truth out.”
The Department of Homeland Security has defended the agents involved, stating that a Border Patrol officer fired after feeling threatened by an individual believed to be armed. However, bystander video circulating online and comments from local officials appear to contradict that account, with footage reportedly showing Pretti holding only a cellphone at the time of the shooting.
The killing has further heightened tensions in Minneapolis, where federal immigration operations have already drawn strong opposition from community members and local leaders. Demonstrations continued over the weekend, with protesters calling for transparency, accountability, and an independent investigation into Pretti’s death.
As investigations proceed, the Pretti family says they want their son remembered not for the controversy surrounding his death, but for his life of service.
“He was a good man,” they said. “And he deserved to come home.”
