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Alex Pretti's parents break silence after Minneapolis shooting: 'He cared about people deeply'
Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a US citizen born in Illinois, lived in Minneapolis. His family told the Associated Press that he cared deeply about people.
Alex Jeffrey Pretti, 37, an intensive care nurse at the Veterans Administration, was shot and killed by a federal officer in Minneapolis on Saturday.
Who was Alex Jeffrey Pretti?
Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a US citizen born in Illinois, lived in Minneapolis. His family told the Associated Press that he cared deeply about people and was troubled by the federal government’s immigration policies in the city.
Pretti was also an avid outdoorsman who loved adventures with his beloved Catahoula Leopard dog, Joule, who recently passed away.
Earlier this month, he had participated in protests following the killing of Renee Good by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer.
"He cared about people deeply and he was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis and throughout the United States with ICE, as millions of other people are upset,” said Michael Pretti, Alex’s father. “He felt that doing the protesting was a way to express that, you know, his care for others.”
Court records show Pretti had no criminal record. His family said his only interactions with law enforcement were minor traffic violations.
In a recent conversation, his parents, who live in Wisconsin, urged him to stay safe 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,” Michael Pretti said. “And he said he knows that. He knew that.”
The shooting
The Department of Homeland Security reported that Pretti was shot after he “approached” US Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun.
DHS said officers attempted to disarm him, but he “violently resisted,” prompting an agent to fire in self-defense.
Medics provided aid at the scene, but Pretti was pronounced dead there.
Family members said Pretti owned a handgun and had a permit to carry a concealed weapon in Minnesota, but they had never seen him carry it.
(With inputs from AP)
