It is the second fatal incident involving federal agents in Minneapolis this month, during the heightened operations of the Minnesota Immigration Service.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said that according to available information, Pretti’s only prior contact with police was related to traffic violations. He added that he was believed to be the legal owner of a firearm with a valid permit to carry it. Federal authorities have not yet given a clear answer to the question of whether Pretti was threatening with a weapon at the time of the intervention.
Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino claims that Pretti was shot while trying to attack federal agents and that the agents fired in self-defense, but local authorities have not yet been able to confirm those allegations.
Pretti studied medicine at the University of Minnesota, where he also worked as a junior researcher from 2012, participating in scientific projects. His colleagues described him as an extremely dedicated healthcare worker who genuinely cared about his patients. The head of the infectious diseases department at the VA hospital, Dimitri Drekonja, said that Pretti was a “good and kind man” who wanted to help others.
Pretti’s father, Michael, said his son was upset by ICE’s actions and participated in protests after an earlier fatal incident in Minneapolis. Footage circulating on social media shows Pretti filming federal agents and trying to help others, before multiple agents tackle him to the ground, followed by gunshots.
Pretti received his medical license in 2021, and in his spare time he was engaged in mountain biking. His associates and family point out that he was a person who lived to help others, and that his death is a great tragedy.
