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as minneapolis Mourning for slain critical care nurse border patrol Amid the hail of bullets, those who knew Alex Pretty came forward Sunday to challenge claims by senior Trump administration officials that he was a violent “domestic terrorist” and potential assassin.
Pretty, 37, is remembered as a kind, warm-hearted man by family, neighbors and loved ones of the sick veterans he treated at the Minneapolis VA Medical Center.
A 2024 video posted on social media shows Preti delivering a final salute at the feet of the flag-draped body of veteran Terrance Lee Randolph, who died at the hospital.
“Today we remember that freedom is not free,” Preeti said in the video, wearing navy blue overalls. “We have to work for it, nurture it, protect it, and even sacrifice for it.”
Randolph’s son, Mike Randolph, recalled Pretty’s care for his father in his final days and said he found the words “really hit home” in the wake of Saturday’s fatal shooting.
Preti cared deeply about people and was troubled by President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown in his city, family members said. He took part in protests after Renee Good was killed by immigration and customs officers on January 7.
Preity was also an avid outdoorsman and enjoyed adventures with his beloved Catahoula leopard dog, Joule, who recently passed away.
“He cared deeply about people, and he was deeply disturbed by what was happening with ICE in Minneapolis and across America, because there are millions of other people who are disturbed,” Michael Pretty told The Associated Press on Saturday, shortly after his son’s death. “He thinks it’s terrible, you know, kidnapping children, just grabbing people off the street. He cares about these people and he knows it’s wrong, so he goes to the protests.”
Pretty is a U.S. citizen born in Illinois. Like Goode, court records show he had no criminal record, and his family said he had never had any interactions with law enforcement other than a few traffic tickets.
In a recent conversation with their son, the parents, who live in Colorado, told him to be careful when protesting.
“We had a discussion with him about two weeks ago about, you know, keep protesting but don’t participate, don’t do anything stupid,” Michael Pretty said. “He said he knew that. He knew that.”
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security said the man was shot after “approaching” Border Patrol agents with a 9 mm semiautomatic handgun. Officials did not specify whether Pretty was brandishing a gun. In bystander video that surfaced shortly after the shooting, Pretty can be seen holding a cellphone in his hand, but no video appears to show him carrying a visible weapon.
Preity owned a handgun and had a permit to carry a concealed handgun in Minnesota, family members said. They said they never knew he was carrying it.
Alex Pretti’s family struggles to find information about what happened
The family learned of the shooting after receiving a call from an Associated Press reporter. They watched the video and said the man killed appeared to be their son. They then tried to contact officials in Minnesota.
“I can’t get any information from anybody,” Michael Pretty said Saturday. “They said the police called Border Patrol and Border Patrol was closed and the hospital wouldn’t answer any questions.”
Eventually, the parents called the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, who confirmed there was a body matching their son’s name and description.
As of Saturday evening, the family said they had still not heard from anyone from federal law enforcement about their son’s death.
After watching the video of the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and others who suggested their son was a “domestic terrorist” who attacked the police officer who shot him issued a written statement saying they were heartbroken and angry.
“The government’s sickening lies about our son are reprehensible and disgusting,” the family said. They added that video showed Alex Pretty was not holding a gun when he was restrained by federal agents, but instead holding a cellphone with one hand and protecting a woman who was being pepper-sprayed with the other.
“Please know the truth about our son. He is a good man,” they said.
Alex Pretti grew up in green bayWisconsin, where he played football, baseball and ran track for Preble High School. He was a Boy Scout and sang in the Green Bay Boys Choir.
After graduation, he attended the University of Minnesota, graduating in 2011 with a bachelor’s degree in biology, society and the environment, according to family members. He worked as a research scientist before returning to school to become a registered nurse.
Alex Pretti has protested before
Preeti’s ex-wife, who spoke to The Associated Press but later said she did not want her name published, said she was not surprised that Preeti was participating in protests against Trump’s immigration crackdown. She said she hasn’t spoken to him since they divorced more than two years ago and she moved to another state.
She said he was a Democratic voter who participated in the wave of street protests not far from the couple’s neighborhood after George Floyd was killed by Minneapolis police in 2020. She described him as someone who might yell at law enforcement officers at protests, but she never knew him to get physical.
She said Pretty had obtained a permit to carry a concealed firearm about three years ago and that he had at least one semiautomatic handgun in his possession when they separated.
Preeti has a great heart
Pretty lived in a four-unit apartment building about 2 miles (3.2 kilometers) from where he was shot. Neighbors described him as quiet and warm-hearted.
“He was a great guy,” said Sue Gitar, who lives downstairs from Pretty and moved into the building about three years ago. “He had a great heart.”
If anything suspicious was going on in the neighborhood, or when they were concerned there might be a gas leak in the building, he would jump in and help.
Preeti lived alone and worked long hours as a nurse, but his neighbors said he did not keep to himself and would sometimes invite friends over.
His neighbors knew he owned a gun — he occasionally shot at a shooting range with a rifle — but were surprised by the idea that he might be carrying a handgun on the street.
“I never thought of him as a guy with a gun,” Guitard said.
As a light dusting of snow fell in Minneapolis on Sunday morning, community members looked somber as they lit candles, laid flowers and held a makeshift vigil at the site of Preeti’s death. The pine cone was assembled with the words “Long Live Alex Pretty” written on it. Some of the bouquets were covered in frost from being outside all night. Several Minneapolis police cars were parked nearby.
Pretti loves the outdoors
Preeti, a bike racer who was devoted to his new Audi, was also very attached to his dog, who died about a year ago.
His parents said they last spoke to their son days before his death. They talked about the repairs he made to his garage door. The worker, a Latino man, was tipped $100, they said, considering everything going on in Minneapolis.
Preity’s mother said her son was deeply concerned about the direction of the country, especially the Trump administration’s rollback of environmental regulations.
“He hated it when people destroyed the land, you know,” Susan Pretty said. “He was an outdoorsman. He took his dog with him wherever he went. You know, he loved this country, but he hated what people were doing to it.”
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Bizek reported from Washington, and Mustian reported from New York. Associated Press reporter Tim Sullivan contributed from Minneapolis.