‘Sickening lies’: Alex Pretti’s family in Minneapolis rejects official narrative, says he was unarmed

The family of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care unit nurse shot dead by federal agents in Minneapolis on Saturday, has strongly disputed the official account of his death, calling it full of “sickening lies.”

Pretti’s family says video evidence contradicts claims that he was armed or posed a threat at the time he was killed during a federal immigration enforcement action.

The incident—the second fatal shooting involving federal agents in the city in recent weeks—has reignited national debate over immigration enforcement tactics and accountability, drawing protests and sharp political criticism.

WATCH: Two different angles seemingly show a federal officer disarming the 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti ,before he was shot and killed in the shooting in Minneapolis.

The agent in the grey jacket and baseball cap can be seen removing the firearm and then walking away as his… https://t.co/HphJu5Nb9k pic.twitter.com/lD1WXPedHa

— 𝐀𝐋𝐏𝐇𝐀 ® (@Alpha7021) January 24, 2026

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Alex Pretti’s family condemns administration’s narrative

In a statement released after Pretti’s death, his family described the government’s version of events as “reprehensible and disgusting.” They said he was a “kindhearted soul” who cared deeply for his family, friends and the veterans he treated as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs hospital.

“The sickening lies told about our son by the administration are reprehensible and disgusting,” the family told CNN in a written statement, rejecting the claim that Pretti was armed when he was shot. According to the relatives, bystander footage on social media and news outlets shows Pretti holding only a cellphone and raising his other hand in the air as he tried to protect a woman agents had pushed to the ground, even as federal officers pepper-sprayed him.

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Statement from Michael and Susan Pretti, Alex’s parents — pic.twitter.com/1EJzFAk7cY

— Keith Edwards (@keithedwards) January 25, 2026

They urged the public and press to share what they say is the real story about his actions, emphasizing that his last moments were spent shielding someone else, not threatening law enforcement. “He was a good man,” the family said.

Conflicting accounts and public outcry

Federal authorities, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), have maintained that Pretti approached agents with a handgun and resisted their attempts to disarm him, prompting an agent to fire “defensive shots.” Local leaders and video analysts, however, dispute this narrative.

The shooting has sparked widespread protests in Minneapolis and amplified calls for accountability, transparency and reform in how immigration enforcement operations are conducted in urban settings. Governors, lawmakers and civil rights groups have added to pressure on federal authorities to release more information and address what they see as inconsistent accounts.

Pretti’s death, coming weeks after another fatal shooting of a local resident named Renee Good by a federal agent, has intensified public scrutiny over aggressive enforcement strategies.