Alex Pretti’s sister, Micayla Pretti, has broken her silence on her brother’s tragic death. Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, was shot and killed by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents in Minneapolis on January 24.
Pretti was fired upon multiple times as he tried to protect a woman from being pepper-sprayed. Officials initially stated Pretti had brandished a gun at the agents. But this claim was soon contradicted by video evidence from bystanders.
Micayla has now condemned the ICE agents who are responsible for her brother’s death. In a statement released to CBS News, the woman called the agents ‘thugs’ who took her brother away from her.
Her statement read,
“I had the privilege of being his little sister for 32 years. I will never be able to hug him, laugh with him, or cry to him again because of those thugs—and that is a pain no words can fully capture.”
Micayla Pretti with moving words about her older brother Alex Pretti. “Alex was kind, generous, and had a way of lighting up every room he walked into. He was incredibly intelligent and deeply passionate, and he made people feel safe. But most importantly, he was my brother.” pic.twitter.com/FzTB0NGbAs
— Amy Klobuchar (@amyklobuchar) January 28, 2026
Remembering the deceased, Micayla stated that he was a generous soul who made people feel safe. She added that as a nurse, Pretti helped people and brought positive change in the world. According to her, that’s what he was doing when he was shot.
Micayla said, “Alex always wanted to make a difference in this world, and it’s devastating that he won’t be here to witness the impact he was making.”
She added, “All Alex ever wanted was to help someone—anyone. Even in his very last moments on this earth, he was simply trying to do just that.” Micayla then thanked the people who had stood by her family in this difficult time and supported Pretti, despite Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem claiming that he was a ‘domestic terrorist.’
Micayla described her brother as a ‘hero’ and asked some hard-hitting questions to the federal government. She questioned, “When does this end? How many more innocent lives must be lost before we say enough?”
Micayla further bashed the administration for spreading lies about her brother. She concluded by saying, “Hearing disgusting lies spread about my brother is absolutely gut-wrenching, and my family is deeply grateful so many people have stood up and helped tell his truth. He would be very proud.”
Pretti’s death has ignited widespread backlash in the country. He became the second person to be shot by enforcement agents this month after Renee Nicole Good. The shooting is currently under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
Statement from Michael and Susan Pretti, Alex’s parents — pic.twitter.com/1EJzFAk7cY
— Keith Edwards (@keithedwards) January 25, 2026
Pretti was carrying a legally registered weapon at the time of his shooting. Videos of the incident showed that his gun was holstered, and he was only holding a mobile phone in his hand when the agents overpowered him.
After widespread protests, Trump has announced that he is willing to ‘de-escalate’ the ICE crackdown in Minnesota. When asked if he agrees with Noem’s statement that Pretti was a domestic terrorist, the president told Fox News, “I haven’t heard that.”
Before Micayla, Pretti’s parents also released a statement slamming the administration for spreading ‘’sickening lies’ about their son. The parents said, “Please get the truth out about our son. He was a good man.”
