Alex Pretti Parents Demand Justice from Department of Justice

The 275-Day Silence: Pretti Family Demands Justice From the Department of Justice

Two hundred and seventy-five days have passed since 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti was shot and killed by immigration agents on a Minneapolis street. For his parents, Michael and Susan Pretti, the calendar is marked not just by the passage of time, but by an unyielding wall of federal silence that they say has shielded their son’s killers and violated their rights under federal law.

In their first news conference since the fatal January encounter, the Pretti family broke their long public quiet to accuse the Department of Justice of obstruction. The confrontation centers on a stalled federal investigation, a severed evidence-sharing agreement, and an ongoing legal battle led by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison to secure the complete investigative file.

Federal Prosecutors Withhold Evidence from Family Attorneys

The friction between local prosecutors and federal authorities has defined the investigation for months. On July 13, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced during a news conference that federal officials had handed over volumes of evidence regarding the shooting. That same day, Michael and Susan Pretti met with US Attorney for the District of Minnesota Dan Rosen.

According to a July letter sent to Attorney General Todd Blanche by family attorney Steve Schleicher—obtained exclusively by CNN—Rosen refused to provide any substantive updates or even confirm the existence of the evidence-sharing agreement. The letter characterized the Department of Justice’s attitude as cruel, noting that Rosen offered no justification for his withholding of information beyond stating, I can’t tell you for all kinds of reasons, without providing a single one.

Weeks after that initial exchange, federal investigators abruptly stopped cooperating with state officials. According to court records filed on October 13, local prosecutors have been left unable to access crucial evidence, including the weapons used by the agents who fired the shots and the firearm Pretti was carrying in his waistband.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison addressed the impasse directly, telling CNN’s Sara Sidner that his office is engaged in active litigation with the federal government to secure the remaining file. We are in litigation with the federal government right now to secure the rest of the remaining file, which they could give us this morning if they were inclined to do so, but it looks like we’re going to need a court order. I’m sorry that it comes to that, Ellison said. Any prosecutor can tell you, you can’t go forward with half a file. You need the whole thing.

In a filing submitted to federal court, the Department of Justice asserted that it has no legal obligation to transfer evidence to state authorities prior to the initiation of an active court proceeding.

Federal Officials Clash with Video Footage of Shooting

Operation Metro Surge, a federal immigration sweep that also involved the January 7 fatal shooting of Renee Good and the January 14 non-fatal shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis, preceded the tragic death of Alex Pretti on a Minneapolis street.

The initial narrative provided by federal officials diverged sharply from video footage of the incident. Kristi Noem, then serving as Department of Homeland Security secretary, initially described Pretti as a "terrorist" who "attacked" officers after "brandishing" a weapon. Stephen Miller, serving as White House Deputy Chief of Staff, characterized Pretti as an “assassin” who attempted the murder of federal agents.

Video footage of the incident tells a different story. Minutes before the encounter, immigration agents were patrolling a street following an incident where a person fled into a donut shop. As agents detained an observer, bystanders gathered, blowing whistles and recording video.

Pretti attempted to intervene in a scuffle between an observer and the agents. During the interaction, he was pepper-sprayed in the face. Video shows an officer shouting Gun! Gun! Gun! while Pretti was on his knees and bent forward. An agent removed Pretti’s gun from his waistband and walked away from the skirmish. Approximately one second later, another officer drew his service weapon and fired several shots, prompting additional officers to open fire. At least 10 gunshots can be heard on the recording.

On the day of the shooting, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension was barred from accessing the scene by federal authorities, gaining entry the following day only after securing a court order from a state judge.

Parents Remember Son as Dedicated ICU Nurse

For Susan and Michael Pretti, the legal battles and political rhetoric contrast sharply with the memories of their son. Beyond the public protests and court filings, they remember an ICU nurse dedicated to his patients and colleagues.

Susan Pretti told CNN’s Jake Tapper that reading letters from her son’s coworkers has revealed dimensions of his character she is only now discovering. Every letter and card that we received from his colleagues, telling who he was, at work … not only helping his patients but his colleagues, she said, choking up. You know what that’s like for a parent to hear? It is probably the kindest thing a parent can ever hear about their child.

The family’s letter to the Department of Justice outlines four direct demands:

• Identify the federal employees involved in the shooting.
• Commit to transparent information-sharing with state and local investigators.
• Confirm whether the FBI is actively investigating the incident.
• Return Pretti’s personal property that is no longer required for evidentiary purposes.

Attorney Steve Schleicher noted that the family has received no response from the DOJ since sending the letter. Whether the family will pursue their own civil litigation against the Department of Justice remains under consideration, with Schleicher stating that they will utilize any and all available legal remedies in their pursuit of accountability.

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