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5 facts about Alex Pretti, nurse who was shot dead by border patrol in Minneapolis
Alex Pretti, 37, was a US citizen and ICU nurse from Illinois. He had took part in protest in the past and deeply cared about the country under Trump
Alex Pretti, the man killed by a US Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis on Saturday, was a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at a hospital and reportedly upset by US President Donald Trump's crackdown in the city.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, the man was shot after he “approached” Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun, Associated Press reported. The incident took place on Saturday at a time when Minnesota is on the edge after ICE agent Jonathan Ross fatally shot Renee Nicole Good.
While officials did not specify if Pretti brandished the gun, some videos indicated that he was unarmed at the time he was shot.
US citizen, born in Illinois
Alex Jeffrey Pretti was a US citizen born in Illinois. He had no criminal records, and his family said Pretti never had any interactions with law enforcement beyond a handful of traffic tickets, AP reported. He grew up in Green Bay, Wisconsin and was fond of playing football at a young age. Pretti was also in the Boy Scouts and sang in the Green Bay Boy Choir.
Worked as a research scientist
After his graduation, Pretti went to the University of Minnesota, graduating in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in biology, society and the environment. According to the report, he worked as a research scientist before returning to school and becoming a registered nurse. He was working for the US Department of Veterans Affairs at a hospital as a nurse.
Pretti used to participate in protests
Pretti was not new to protests and had protested earlier following the killing of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer in 2020. His ex-wife told AP that she was not surprised after hearing that Pretti was participating in protests against anti immigration crackdown. While Pretti often took part in protests, he was never physically confrontational with law enforcement.
He got firearm permit three years ago
Family members of Pretti informed that he owned a handgun and also had a permit to carry a concealed handgun in Minnesota. However, they also said that he never carried it. Pretti got the permit to carry a firearm about three years ago.
Passionate about outdoors, concerned about US
Pretti was passionate about the outdoors and preferred outdoor activities, including bicycle racing. He also loved going on an outdoor adventure with Joule, his beloved dog who died a year ago. He was also concerned about the direction the US was heading under the Trump administration, his family told AP.
