MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. — The confrontation between federal agents and the Minneapolis community has intensified dramatically following the release of a searing statement from the family of the man killed during a controversial immigration enforcement operation. The family has identified the victim as Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a dedicated ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA Hospital, and they are vehemently disputing law enforcement claims that he was an aggressor.

In a statement released to the press late Sunday, the Pretti family described Alex as a “hero” who was killed while trying to protect a woman from being assaulted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. They characterize the official narrative—which suggested agents were threatened—as “reprehensible and disgusting,” asserting that Pretti was unarmed and holding only a cellphone when he was gunned down.

“He Was A Good Man”: Family Identifies Alex Jeffrey Pretti

While authorities had initially withheld the identity of the deceased male involved in the incident near East 34th Street and Portland Avenue, the family’s statement paints a portrait of a man dedicated to service.

Alex Jeffrey Pretti was an ICU nurse who spent his career caring for American veterans at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center.

“Alex 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,” the family wrote. “Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately, he will not be with us to see his impact.”

The revelation of his profession has added a layer of shock to the community outrage. Pretti was not a known activist or a target of the raid; he appears to have been a bystander who intervened during a moment of escalation.

Disputing the “Gun” Narrative: A Phone, Not a Weapon

The core of the family’s anger lies in the justification for the use of deadly force. While federal agencies have not yet released a detailed forensic report, initial leaks and police union statements often accompany such shootings suggesting the subject was armed or posed a lethal threat.

The Pretti family unequivocally rejects this. Citing what is likely bystander video or their own review of evidence, they claim Alex was holding a phone, not a gun.

“The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting,” the statement reads. “Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head.”

This description—of a man with one hand raised and a phone in the other—challenges the standard “fear for life” defense used by law enforcement officers. If corroborated by video evidence, it could lead to potential federal civil rights charges against the agents involved.

The Incident: Protecting a Woman

The family’s statement provides the first detailed account of the moments leading up to Pretti’s death from the perspective of the victims. It links his death directly to the shooting of a woman at the same scene, which sparked protests earlier in the week.

According to the family, Pretti intervened when he saw a woman being physically mistreated by agents.

“His last thought and act was to protect a woman,” the family stated. They describe him trying to shield a woman whom “ICE just pushed down all while being pepper sprayed.”

This narrative aligns with witness reports from the scene at 34th and Portland, where bystanders described a chaotic melee in which agents used chemical irritants and physical force against residents attempting to block an arrest. It appears Pretti stepped in to defend the woman—who witnesses say was subsequently shot in the face—and paid for it with his life.

Political Firestorm

The language used in the statement reflects the deep political polarization surrounding the current administration’s immigration crackdown. The family explicitly blames the political climate, referring to the agents as “Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs.”

This direct attribution of blame to the administration ensures that the death of Alex Jeffrey Pretti will become a focal point in the national debate over “Operation Midway Blitz” and the broader tactical shift in interior immigration enforcement.

Community Reaction

Vigils are already being planned outside the Minneapolis VA Hospital to honor Pretti. His colleagues are reportedly “devastated” by the loss of a skilled nurse known for his compassion toward elderly veterans.

“Alex saved lives for a living,” said a fellow nurse who wished to remain anonymous. “The idea that he was gunned down in the street like a criminal is impossible to process. He was the best of us.”

The Call for Truth

The statement concludes with a plea to the public and the media: “Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man.”

As investigators from the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and federal oversight bodies continue their work, the pressure to release unedited body-worn camera footage is now insurmountable. The discrepancy between the “official” account of an armed threat and the family’s account of a nurse with a cellphone is too vast to be reconciled without video evidence.

For now, Minneapolis mourns Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a man who went to work to save veterans and died trying to save a neighbor.

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Summary of Key Facts:

• Victim: Alex Jeffrey Pretti.

• Occupation: ICU Nurse, Minneapolis VA Hospital.

• Circumstances: Intervening to protect a woman being pepper-sprayed/pushed by ICE.

• Family Claim: He was holding a phone (right hand), left hand raised; NOT armed.

• Family Statement: Condemns “sickening lies” and “Trump’s ICE thugs.”