Online Fundraiser for Slain Minneapolis Nurse Alex Pretti Approaches $400,000 Mark
An online fundraiser established to support the family of Alex Pretti, a US citizen and registered nurse who was fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis, had amassed nearly $400,000 by Sunday morning. This substantial sum was raised within a single day following the tragic incident, which has ignited a fresh wave of street protests and intensified scrutiny of the Trump administration's immigration enforcement policies in the city.
Campaign Surpasses Goal as Public Sentiment Swells
The "Alex Pretti is an American Hero" campaign on the GoFundMe platform rapidly exceeded its initial target of $20,000 after being launched by organiser Keith Edwards on Saturday. In a statement, Edwards emphasised that the purpose of the fundraiser 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 that he had made contact with Pretti's family by Saturday and was collaborating with GoFundMe to ensure they would directly benefit from the campaign. As donations poured in from over 10,900 contributors, Edwards expressed gratitude, writing, "Thank you all so much for your support." GoFundMe did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment on Sunday regarding the campaign's remarkable surge.
Details Emerge from Video Evidence of the Fatal Encounter
Alex Pretti, aged 37, was a registered nurse working in the intensive care unit at the Minneapolis VA Health Care System, which serves military veterans. Videos circulating online on Saturday depicted Pretti directing traffic and filming federal immigration agents who had been deployed to Minneapolis under directives from the Trump White House.
In one video, Pretti is seen holding his phone in his right hand, with his left hand visibly empty. Additional footage shows him coming to the defence of 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 was tackled to the street by multiple agents.
As officers restrained and struck Pretti, one reached to his lower back and stepped away with what appeared to be a firearm. Video evidence captured an agent shouting, "Gun! Gun!" Subsequently, another officer drew a weapon and evidently shot Pretti once at close range. A second officer then pointed a gun at Pretti as colleagues stepped back, followed by a volley of approximately ten more shots.
It is important to note that Pretti was legally permitted to carry a gun. However, none of the video evidence, which includes footage from multiple angles, shows him brandishing a firearm at any point during the encounter.
Family Condemns "Sickening Lies" from Administration Officials
In a statement to Minneapolis news outlet Kare 11, Pretti's parents expressed being "heartbroken but also very angry". They vehemently dismissed what they termed "sickening lies" from Trump administration officials. This rebuke came after US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem asserted on Saturday that Pretti was shot dead while approaching federal officers and brandishing a gun—an accusation directly contradicted by available video evidence.
Noem further alleged that Pretti harboured an intent "to kill law enforcement". In response, his parents stated in their declaration, "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."
Context of Previous Incident and Mounting Public Anger
Pretti's killing occurred just 17 days after another American citizen, Renee Nicole Good, also aged 37, was shot dead in Minneapolis by a federal immigration officer. Video evidence from that incident showed Good attempting to drive away from the officer. A separate 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 been met with street protests and widespread demands for accountability for the officers involved. The rapid financial support for Pretti's family through the GoFundMe platform underscores the profound public reaction to these events and the growing tensions surrounding federal immigration operations in Minneapolis.
