Sister of ICU nurse Alex Pretti hits out at ‘disgusting lies’ and honors brother as a hero
Alex Pretti’s younger sister has condemned the ‘disgusting lies’ that emerged about the intensive care nurse who was shot and killed while being detained by federal agents in Minneapolis.
Micayla Pretti broke her silence on the highly publicized death of her 37-year-old sister in a statement Monday.
The heartbroken sister called Pretti a ‘hero’ and praised him for his kindness; This is in stark contrast to the armed instigator that ICE describes itself as.
“All Alex wanted was to help someone, anyone,” Micayla continued. ‘Even in his last moments on this earth he was trying to do exactly that.’
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem claimed that the police officers Pretti allegedly approached during an immigration enforcement operation on Saturday were “clearly fearing for their lives.”
Noem said the agents fired their weapons in self-defense only after Pretti “violently” resisted federal agents and pointed a gun at them.
Micayla has strongly opposed claims that her brother is a ‘domestic terrorist’ or attempted assassination.
‘When will this end? ‘How many more innocent lives have to be lost before we say enough is enough?’ he asked in despair.
Alex Pretti was fatally shot during a confrontation with federal agents in Minneapolis.
Pretti was shot and killed while being detained by agents during an immigration operation.
‘It is absolutely heartbreaking to hear the disgusting lies being spread about my brother.’
Trump told the Wall Street Journal about Pretti’s death: ‘I don’t like to be armed. ‘I don’t like it.’
‘But I don’t like it when someone shows up at a protest and they have a very powerful, fully loaded gun and both magazines full of bullets,’ he continued. ‘This doesn’t look good either.’
DHS officials allege Pretti approached officers with a loaded 9mm semiautomatic handgun.
However, several videos recorded by witnesses show Pretti pointing his phone at the agents instead of a gun.
In another footage, an officer is seen removing Pretti’s gun from his waistband before the shooting.
Minneapolis police said the Veterans Affairs (VA) nurse had no serious criminal history and was a legal gun owner with a valid permit.
It appears the footage after Pretti was disarmed does not clearly show where the first shot came from.
A weapons expert said he believed Pretti’s Sig Sauer P320 exploded in one agent’s hand, prompting another agent to open fire.
Protesters are seen marching through the streets of downtown Minneapolis following Pretti’s death
Protesters riot outside the Minneapolis Hilton following Pretti’s death Sunday night
Pretti was a VA and critical care nurse who her sister described as kind and helpful.
Rob Dobar, attorney for the Minnesota Gun Owners Group, wrote to
Trump signaled his willingness to withdraw immigration enforcement officials from Minneapolis and said his administration would investigate Pretti’s deadly attack.
“We’re looking, we’re reviewing everything, and we’re going to come out determined,” Trump told the WSJ. ‘We will leave at some point.’
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he talked to Trump about the crackdown on immigrants in his city and that some federal officials will begin leaving the city.
Frey said that in his meeting with the president, they both agreed that the situation regarding ICE’s presence could not continue.
The mayor claimed some agents would begin leaving as early as Tuesday. Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino was among those deported, people familiar with the situation said.
Bovino has been at the center of the Trump administration’s aggressive immigration enforcement in cities across the country.
He has been criticized over the past few days for his public defense of the shooting of Pretti and for controversial claims about the encounter that led to his death.
White House border czar Tom Homan is expected to meet with the mayor of Minneapolis on Tuesday
President Donald Trump and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey had a phone call Monday
Bovino reportedly lost access to the government’s social media accounts after spending much of the weekend arguing online over Pretti’s shooting.
White House Border Czar Tom Homan is reportedly replacing Bovino in Minnesota.
But DHS Deputy Secretary Tricia McLaughlin wrote in
Frey plans to continue fighting to ensure that the others involved in Operation Subway Surge are gone as well.
Operation Metro Surge is the enforcement campaign that launched on December 1, 2025, significantly expanding the federal law enforcement presence in Minnesota.
Trump shared on social media that he had a nice conversation with Frey.
‘A lot of progress is being made!’ he wrote on Truth Social on Monday.
He added that Homan will meet with Frey on Tuesday to “continue the discussion.”
