Friends and family defend Alex Pretti’s memory after fatal shooting

Friends and family defend Alex Pretti’s memory after fatal shooting

• Friends and colleagues dispute claims Pretti was violent or a threat
• Pretti remembered as a calm, kind ICU nurse and mentor
• Minneapolis holds vigils and protests to mourn Pretti and seek accountability.

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To his friends, family and colleagues, Pretti was not the figure federal officials described in the hours after he was fatally shot by immigration agents in Minneapolis. He was a calm presence in stressful situations, a dedicated ICU nurse, a mentor, a music lover, and someone who found joy in biking through Minnesota’s outdoors.

In the days following his death, people close to him have pushed back against what they describe as an effort to smear his character. Trump administration officials had labelled him a threat and accused him of violent intent, claims that those who knew him say are both untrue and deeply painful, the New York Times reported.

Friends reject official claims

Friends remember a kind and steady person. Rory Shefchek, who has known Pretti since high school, described him as helpful, respectful and thoughtful. After watching footage of the incident that circulated online, Shefchek said the video did not match the official portrayal. To him, Pretti remained the same person he had always known, someone who tried to do the right thing.

A nurse trusted in moments of crisis

Colleagues at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Minneapolis echoed that view. Dimitri Drekonja, who worked with Pretti at the Veterans Affairs hospital, said he was dependable and generous with his time, especially during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Others recalled how he supported new nurses in the high-pressure ICU environment, offering guidance and reassurance when they felt overwhelmed.

Friends say he had a natural ability to stay calm in tense moments. Elissa Todd, a colleague, noted that Pretti had been trained in de-escalation and was accustomed to managing crisis situations with composure. She said it was hard to reconcile the person she knew with claims that he had acted aggressively.

Family speaks out through state leaders

Tim Walz said he spoke with Pretti’s parents, who described their son as someone who lived with generosity and purpose. The family released a statement calling him kind-hearted and devoted to caring for veterans, while condemning what they described as misleading and hurtful claims made about him after his death.

What is known about the shooting

Federal officials acknowledged that Pretti was legally carrying a firearm during the incident, though videos indicate he was holding a phone at the time and had not drawn the weapon. Friends said gun ownership was not a defining part of his identity and recalled that he sometimes engaged in thoughtful conversations about gun reform.

Vigils, protests and shared grief

Vigils and protests have taken place across Minneapolis as people mourn and call for accountability. Outside his apartment building, neighbours gathered to light candles in the cold winter air. In Wisconsin, where he grew up, former classmates shared memories of his kindness, his involvement in theatre, and the way he looked out for younger students.

JD Atkins, who knew him through school plays, said Pretti had a way of lifting others up quietly. Kevin McGillivray, another former classmate, remembered him as someone who stood up for people when others wouldn’t.

How those closest to him want him remembered

Friends say Pretti would not want to be remembered as a symbol or a political talking point. They believe he would rather be remembered for his love of biking, music, family, health care and science, and for the quiet decency he showed in everyday life.

As one friend put it, he was simply “a really good man.”