In the days leading up to his death, Alex Jeffrey Pretti was living a life defined by care, conscience, and courage — qualities his parents now say make their son’s loss all the more haunting. Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs hospital, was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026, during a controversial federal law-enforcement operation that has drawn intense national scrutiny.
What makes his loss especially painful for his family is how ordinary their last conversation with him felt — a blessing and a burden they now carry with them. In the days before he died, Pretti spoke with his parents from Colorado, where they had urged him to be careful while participating in demonstrations and observing immigration enforcement in the city.
His parents described Alex not as a headline, but as a compassionate son and dedicated caregiver — someone shaped by years of caring for the most vulnerable. Known for his work in the ICU, Pretti had spent countless hours helping critically ill veterans, a calling that reflected his deep empathy and sense of duty.
Yet even amid family warnings about the risks of engaging with federal agents during tense protests, his parents said Alex felt compelled to act in accordance with his conscience — not out of recklessness, but out of compassion. That conviction, they believe, was consistent with the person he had always been.
After his death, the family released a video tribute showing Alex laughing, interacting with loved ones, and living out the human warmth so many who knew him remember. The tribute quickly spread across social media, allowing people around the world to see him not just as a victim of a tragic incident, but as a full, vibrant person whose life mattered deeply.
Pretti’s parents have been outspoken about the details surrounding his death and how the official narrative has unfolded. Federal authorities initially claimed he posed a threat during the enforcement operation, asserting that he approached officers armed and resisted. But family members and bystanders alike dispute that account, pointing to videos showing Pretti with a phone recording agents and trying to help others rather than trying to initiate violence.
In their public statements, his parents have called for truth and transparency, rejecting what they describe as misleading portrayals of their son’s character — and insisting that his final actions reflected exactly who he was: a helper, a healer, and someone guided by conscience even in the face of danger.
The question that still weighs on them — one they say has no clear answer — is why their son’s final moments unfolded the way they did and why a life committed to care ended in such violence. As investigations continue and national debate grows, Pretti’s family continues to seek accountability and broader understanding of what happened in Minneapolis that day.
