Relatives of ICU nurse Alex Pretti are refuting the official account, saying he was just holding the phone and trying to help when it happened. But the last 2 text messages his family revealed about his final moments are now raising unanswered questionsâŚ
Alex Prettiâs loved ones said he âwanted to make a difference in this worldâ before his Jan. 24 shooting death
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Alex Pretti, the scene of the Minneapolis shooting on Jan. 24.Credit :Â
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NEED TO KNOW
The family of the man who was shot and killed by federal officers in Minneapolis on Jan. 24 has spoken out
Alex Prettiâs loved ones remembered him as a âkindhearted soul,â and they hit back at claims made about the ICU nurse
âAlex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately, he will not be with us to see his impact,â the manâs family said
The family of Alex Pretti, the man who was shot and killed by federal officers in Minneapolis, is speaking out and hitting back at claims made about the ICU nurse.
In a statement, obtained by CNN, Prettiâs loved ones began, âWe are heartbroken but also very angry.â
âAlex 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,â they continued. âAlex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately, he will not be with us to see his impact.â
Prettiâs family then gave more insight into his final moments, indicating that he may have been attempting to âprotect a womanâ before he was fatally shot.
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The scene of the Minneapolis shooting on Jan. 24.Arthur Maiorella/Anadolu via Getty
The family next took aim at the United Statesâ leadership under President Donald Trump, writing in their statement, âThe sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting.â
Tricia McLaughlin, the assistant secretary for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), alleged in a statement to PEOPLE that Pretti âapproachedâ U.S. Border Patrol officers while armed with a handgun and âviolently resistedâ as they attempted to disarm him.
She said an agent then fired âdefensive shots.â Pretty was 37.
During a press conference after the shooting, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian OâHara was questioned about the DHSâ account of the incident. He referred to footage captured from the scene, stating, âThe video speaks for itself.â
Prettiâs family also questioned the DHSâ account, writing in their statement, âAlex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trumpâs murdering and cowardly ICE thugs.â
âHe 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,â they continued, then concluding: âPlease get the truth out about our son. He was a good man. Thank you.â
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Alex Pretti.va.gov
McLaughlinâs statement to PEOPLE said âDHS law enforcement officers were conducting a targeted operation in Minneapolis against an illegal alien wanted for violent assaultâ at around 9:00 a.m. local time on Jan. 24.
At least 200 protesters arrived near the scene of the shooting soon after, The Associated Press reported, leading to confrontations between federal law enforcement and locals.
During the Jan. 24 press conference, OâHara said preliminary details about the incident suggested that there was âmore than one law enforcement officer involved in the discharge.â He also pointed to âpublic video that shows several law enforcement officers in a scuffle with someone.â
Prettiâs nursing license, obtained by PEOPLE, shows he had been a registered nurse since January 2021 and previously worked at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.