Parents of ICU nurse killed by federal officers demand DOJ release shooting evidence

The parents of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and intensive care unit nurse who was fatally shot by immigration officers in Minneapolis nine months ago, demanded Tuesday that the Justice Department release all evidence in his death ¹².

Michael and Susan Pretti said at a news conference that the federal government has kept them in the dark for 275 days, even after they sent a letter to Attorney General Todd Blanche over the summer asking for basic information, including the identities of the officers involved ¹.

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Susan Pretti said their son "understood right from wrong, and did not tolerate bullies" ². She said the family wants "the world to understand who Alex really was" and wants "our son's killers brought to justice once and for all" ².

Justice Department says silence is standard

Kiersten Pels, a Justice Department spokesperson, told NBC News that communications between federal officials and victims' families "do not typically occur" during an investigation ¹. She said such contact, if any, comes at a later stage such as indictment, initial appearance, plea, trial or sentencing, and that the timing is consistent with how these investigations proceed ¹. The Department of Homeland Security referred all questions to the FBI ¹.

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The news conference came nearly a week after Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the federal government stopped sharing information with Minnesota authorities investigating Pretti's killing ¹. Moriarty's office sued the Trump administration in March to compel federal officials to share evidence in Pretti's death and the shootings of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan man who was wounded by an ICE officer, and Renee Good, who was fatally shot by another ICE officer ¹.

In July, Minnesota officials said the federal government had begun turning over evidence, including police body camera video and hard drives containing statements ¹. Moriarty said that changed this month, and she accused the federal government of withholding evidence and "obstructing our investigations for however long they can" ¹. The federal government, in a motion to dismiss filed last week in U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C., argued it has authority to decline sharing information with state authorities if no formal legal proceedings are underway ¹.

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A lawyer asks what is being hidden

Steven L. Schleicher, a lawyer for the Prettis and a former federal prosecutor, said his clients are entitled to see evidence about the shooting under the Crime Victims Rights Act ¹. "How is it possible that the Department of Justice is not sharing evidence," Schleicher said. "What are they hiding?" ¹

The three Minnesota shootings took place in January, after the Trump administration deployed more than 3,000 immigration officers and agents to the state as part of "Operation Metro Surge," the Department of Homeland Security's largest immigration enforcement operation ¹. Cellphone footage from bystanders on Jan. 24 captured Alex Pretti confronting a federal officer who had pushed a woman into a snowbank; the officer used a chemical irritant on him, and multiple officers took him to the ground ². A report to Congress obtained by CBS News on Jan. 27 said two Border Patrol agents fired their weapons during the deadly incident ².

The Prettis said their public appeal was not connected to next week's midterm elections ². "Mike and I are not asking for any special treatment," Susan Pretti said. "All we want is justice for Alex" ². Michael Pretti said the family has received more than 2,000 cards and letters and has read every one ².

That matters because the dispute now turns on a judge's ruling over whether the federal government must hand over evidence to state investigators, with the Justice Department seeking dismissal and the county seeking summary judgment ¹. The pattern is a familiar one in the case: Minnesota officials say the federal government cannot be trusted to investigate itself, while the Trump administration has suggested state prosecutors have no jurisdiction to investigate federal officers ¹.

The Record

1. Jan 24, 2026Cellphone footage captured Alex Pretti confronting a federal officer in Minneapolis before he was shot and killed ².
2. Jan 27, 2026A report to Congress obtained by CBS News said two Border Patrol agents fired their weapons during the deadly incident ².
3. Mar 1, 2026Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty's office sued the Trump administration to compel federal officials to share evidence in the Pretti, Sosa-Celis and Good shootings ¹.
4. Oct 27, 2026Michael and Susan Pretti held a news conference demanding the Justice Department release all evidence in their son's death ¹².

Sources

1. NBC News, “Alex Pretti’s parents demand DOJ release evidence of fatal ICE shooting” (2026-10-27). nbcnews.com/news/us-news/parents-nurse-killed-ice-demand-doj
2. CBS News, “Parents of Alex Pretti, slain by Border Patrol in Minneapolis, call on DOJ to resume evidence sharing - CBS Minnesota” (2026-10-27). cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/alex-prettis-parents-hold-first-p

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