An online fundraiser established to support the family of Alex Pretti has garnered nearly $400,000 in donations by Sunday morning, just one day after federal agents fatally shot the US citizen and registered nurse in Minneapolis. The incident has ignited a fresh wave of street protests against the Trump administration's immigration enforcement actions in the city.
Overwhelming Public Support for Pretti's Family
In a powerful demonstration of public sympathy, the "Alex Pretti is an American Hero" campaign on the GoFundMe platform rapidly exceeded its initial goal of $20,000. Organiser Keith Edwards launched the fundraiser on Saturday, with donations pouring in from more than 10,900 contributors. Edwards expressed gratitude, stating, "Thank you all so much for your support."
A statement from Edwards clarified the campaign's purpose was "to support the loved ones [Pretti] leaves behind with immediate needs" following what he described as Pretti being "executed on the streets of Minneapolis." Edwards confirmed he had contacted Pretti's family by Saturday and was collaborating with GoFundMe to designate them as the beneficiaries. The platform has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the fundraiser's swift success.
Details of the Minneapolis Incident
Alex Pretti, aged 37, worked as a registered nurse in the intensive care unit at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, which provides medical services to veterans. Videos circulating online depict Pretti directing traffic and filming federal immigration agents who had been deployed to Minneapolis under directives from the Trump White House.
Video Evidence Contradicts Official Accounts
One video shows Pretti holding his phone in his right hand, with his left hand visibly empty. Additional footage captures him defending a legal observer who was shoved to the ground by a federal officer. That officer then repeatedly sprayed Pretti with a chemical agent before he and other agents tackled him to the street.
As officers restrained and struck Pretti, one reached to his lower back and stepped away with what appeared to be a firearm. Video evidence records an agent shouting, "Gun! Gun!" Another officer drew a weapon and evidently shot Pretti once at close range. A second officer pointed a gun at Pretti as colleagues stepped back, followed by a volley of approximately ten more shots.
Notably, Pretti was legally permitted to carry a gun, but none of the multi-angle video evidence shows him brandishing a weapon during the encounter.
Family Response and Official Statements
In a statement to Minneapolis news outlet Kare 11, Pretti's parents described themselves as "heartbroken but also very angry." They vehemently rejected what they termed "sickening lies" from Trump administration officials.
This response came after US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem asserted on Saturday that Pretti was shot dead while approaching federal officers and brandishing a gun—a claim directly contradicted by video evidence. Noem also accused Pretti of intending "to kill law enforcement," prompting his parents to state, "Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump's murdering and cowardly [immigration] thugs. Please get the truth about our son. He was a good man."
Broader Context of Recent Shootings
Pretti's killing occurred just seventeen days after another 37-year-old American citizen, Renee Nicole Good, was shot dead in Minneapolis by a federal immigration officer. Video evidence showed Good attempting to drive away from the officer. A GoFundMe campaign established to support Good's family raised over $1.5 million before organisers closed it two days after her death.
Both shootings have provoked street protests and widespread demands for accountability for the officers involved. The incidents highlight ongoing tensions surrounding immigration enforcement practices and use of force by federal agents in Minneapolis.
