Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has condemned a 37-year-old nurse shot dead by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Minneapolis.
Speaking in Washington DC hours after the killing of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, Noem questioned why he was carrying a legally-held weapon instead of a protest sign.
‘I don’t know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign,’ Noem said.
‘This is a violent riot when you have someone showing up with weapons and are using them to assault law enforcement officers.’
Noem went on to repeat an earlier claim that Pretti – who had no criminal record – ‘brandished’ his handgun at ICE agents in the moments before his killing. Pretti had a permit to carry a concealed gun.
She said: ‘This individual went and impeded their law enforcement operations, attacked those officers, had a weapon on him and multiple, dozens of rounds of ammunition.
‘Wishing to inflict harm on those officers coming brandishing like that and impeding the work they were doing.’
That version of events has already been disputed by video which shows Pretti brandishing a phone in the moments before the fatal scuffle began.
Footage also appears to show an ICE agent take Pretti’s handgun away a few seconds before another officer opened fire six times and killed Pretti.
Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claims ICE shooting victim Alex Jeffrey Pretti ‘reacted violently’ before he was killed
Noem told Saturday’s press conference that Pretti had ‘reacted violently’ after getting involved in an altercation between ICE and a female protester standing close to him.
Pretti and the unidentified woman were protesting the ICE arrest of an Ecuadorian illegal migrant called Jose Huerta-Chuma, who faces charges of domestic assault, disorderly conduct and driving without a license.
Noem said: ‘An individual approached US Border Patrol Officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun.
‘The officers attempted to disarm this individual but the armed suspect reacted violently…this looks like a situation where an individual arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage and kill law enforcement.’
Noem, a MAGA Republican, also blamed two of Minnesota’s most senior Democrat lawmakers – Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey.
‘Our law enforcement are doing everything they can to protect the public. We’re praying for the deceased’s loved ones, family, and friends, but we also recognize that the Minnesota and the Minneapolis governor need to take a long hard look in the mirror.
‘They need to evaluate their rhetoric, their conversations, and their encouragement of such violence against our citizens and law enforcement officers.’
Saturday’s killing comes less than three weeks after 38-year-old Renee Nicole Good was shot and killed by ICE in the city after ignoring officer Jonathan Ross’s order to get out of her car during a protest and trying to drive off.
A Minneapolis man who was gunned down during a struggle with federal agents has been identified by local media as Alex Jeffrey Pretti
Pretti was shot shortly after 9am Saturday near 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue in south Minneapolis.
Minneapolis police confirmed Pretti was a white, 37‑year‑old Minnesota resident and said he was pronounced dead at the scene.
According to the Department of Homeland Security, federal agents were in the area attempting to apprehend a man described as ‘an illegal alien wanted for violent assault’ when Pretti approached them. DHS said a struggle followed.
The agency stated that Pretti was armed with a nine‑millimeter semi‑automatic handgun and carrying two magazines, and that officers attempted to disarm him before he allegedly resisted.
Pretti is a registered nurse, US citizen and a resident of Minnesota who had a gun license according to officials
Video from the scene shows agents wrestling Pretti to the ground moments before the shooting.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said city police were not involved in the immigration operation and did not fire the weapon.
O’Hara added that Pretti had no serious criminal history beyond minor parking violations and confirmed that he was a lawful gun owner with a valid permit.
Pretti worked as a registered nurse for the Veterans Health Administration at the Minneapolis VA hospital, where he served as an intensive care nurse treating critically ill veterans.
Public records show he earned approximately $90,000 in 2023. Colleagues have described him as a dedicated healthcare worker whose death has had a significant impact within the VA medical community.
Saturday’s shooting marks the third recent incident involving federal agents in Minneapolis.
Renee Nicole Good, 37, was shot and killed by ICE agent Jonathan Ross on January 7 after ignoring orders to get out of her car and trying to drive away from the scene.
