Family of Alex Pretti, the Armed Man Shot by Federal Agents in Minneapolis, Calls Trump Admin’s Claims About His Actions ‘Sickening and Reprehensible’
In a fiery statement given to CNN, the family of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, the 37-year-old ICU nurse fatally shot by Border Patrol agents during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis, has blasted the Trump administration for spreading what they call “sickening lies” about the incident.
The family was not present during the altercation.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said during a press conference on Saturday evening that “The officers attempted to disarm this individual, but the armed suspect reacted violently.”
“Fearing for his life and for the lives of his fellow officers around him, an agent fired defensive shots. Medics were on the scene immediately and attempted to deliver medical aid, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.”
Border Patrol Chief Greg Bovino has said that Pretti was at the scene with the intention of massacring ICE agents.
“The suspect also had two loaded magazines and no accessible ID. This looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement,” Bovino said.
A statement from the family of Alex Pretti, obtained by CNN:
“We are heartbroken but also very angry.
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. Alex…
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) January 25, 2026
In their statement to CNN, posted on X by Brian Stelter, the Pretti family wrote:
“We are heartbroken but also very angry.
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. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. 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.
The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting. Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. 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.
Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man. Thank you.”
The family previously told the Associated Press that they had urged him not to “do anything stupid” while protesting.
“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,” his father, Michael Pretti, said. “And he said he knows that. He knew that.”
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