Man killed by a US Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis was an ICU nurse, family says

Family members have identified the man who was shot and killed by a U.S. Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis on Saturday as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital. They described him as someone who cared deeply for others and was troubled by President Donald Trump’s immigration policies affecting his community. Pretti loved the outdoors and enjoyed adventures with his cherished Catahoula Leopard dog, Joule, who had also recently passed away. He worked for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and had taken part in protests after the January 7 death of Renee Good, who was killed by an Immigration and Customs officer. “He had a deep concern for people and was very disturbed by what was happening in Minneapolis and across the United States with ICE, just like millions of others,” said his father, Michael Pretti. “He thought it was awful to kidnap children and take people off the streets. He cared about those individuals and recognized it was wrong, which is why he joined the protests.” Pretti was a U.S. citizen, originally from Illinois. Court documents indicated that he had no criminal record, and his family stated he had only minor run-ins with law enforcement for traffic violations. In a recent chat, his parents, who reside in Colorado, advised him to be cautious while protesting. “We talked to him about two weeks ago, encouraging him to protest, but to avoid any risky actions,” Michael Pretti explained. “He assured us he understood and would be careful.” According to the Department of Homeland Security, the shooting occurred after Pretti “approached” Border Patrol officers while holding a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. Officials did not clarify whether Pretti displayed the gun. Bystander videos from the scene show him with a phone in his hand, but none clearly show him with a weapon. His family mentioned that he owned a handgun and had a permit to carry a concealed firearm in Minnesota, but they were not aware of him carrying it regularly.