Alex Pretti’s Parents Remember Their Last Call with Son Days Before He Was Killed

In the days before Minneapolis became the site of a deadly confrontation between federal agents and protesters, Michael and Susan Pretti shared a quiet, ordinary moment with their son that now carries heartbreaking significance.

Just a couple of days before 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer during a federal enforcement action, his parents spoke with him on the phone — unaware it would be the last time they would hear his voice.

The conversation was simple and familiar, centered on everyday life. They talked about repairs Alex had recently made to his garage door, and one anecdote his parents now recall with a mix of pride and sorrow: Alex had given the repairman a generous $100 tip, even as tensions over the federal immigration operations in Minneapolis were escalating.

Michael and Susan said they were aware that their son planned to join a protest happening in the city, and like most parents, they offered cautious advice. “Make sure to protest peacefully and avoid any confrontation,” they told him — a plea grounded in concern for his safety, not knowing how soon it would become painfully relevant.

At the time, there was no indication of danger. Alex was a devoted healthcare worker with a gentle nature and a deep commitment to caring for others. His parents described him as someone who “wanted to make a difference,” a man whose life was shaped by service, compassion, and empathy.

Those last few minutes on the phone now echo with a sorrow that family members struggle to articulate. What began as a routine chat about household repairs became, in hindsight, a precious final connection — a reminder that life can be irrevocably altered in an instant.

After Alex was shot and killed on January 24, federal authorities initially claimed he posed a threat and resisted officers during the enforcement action. But video footage and multiple witness accounts have raised serious questions about that narrative, showing him holding a phone and attempting to help a woman during the confrontation.

In the wake of his death, Michael and Susan issued a statement saying they were “heartbroken but also very angry,” rejecting official accounts of the shooting as “sickening lies” and insisting their son was a kindhearted person who cared deeply about people and his community.

That final phone call — unremarkable at the time — now stands as a poignant reminder of who Alex Pretti was before he was killed: a son, a healthcare professional, and a neighbor whose life ended far too soon, leaving behind a grieving family and a community searching for answers.