Evidence Dispute: Pretti Family Sues Over Stalled Federal Probe

Federal prosecutors have ceased sharing evidence with Minnesota authorities regarding the January killing of Alex Pretti, according to recent court filings. The parents of the 37-year-old intensive care nurse stated Tuesday that the Department of Justice is shielding the immigration enforcement officers involved in the death. They reported that no government official has contacted them with substantive information for nine months.

The dispute centers on jurisdiction and access. Minnesota officials sued the Trump administration in March to obtain materials necessary for their independent investigation. State prosecutors argue they do not trust the federal government to investigate its own officers. The administration has countered that state prosecutors lack jurisdiction over federal agents. The state is currently seeking the cellphones of the officers involved in the shootings of Pretti and Renee Good, along with recordings of key interviews.

Michael and Susan Pretti addressed the media on Tuesday at a news conference organized by their attorney, Steve Schleicher. Michael Pretti, the father, said the family decided to speak out after being stonewalled by U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and U.S. Attorney Dan Rosen. "At every turn, they have ignored us, misled us, and shielded Alex’s killers," Michael Pretti said. He described the family’s experience as one of cruelty.

The federal government’s initial public narrative contradicted the evidence presented by the family. Within moments of Pretti’s death on Jan. 24, officials described the U.S. citizen as an armed disruptor. Kristi Noem, then-Homeland Security secretary, labeled the Veterans Administration hospital nurse a domestic terrorist who violently resisted agents. Court records indicate Pretti had no criminal record. Bystander video from the scene shows Pretti holding only a mobile phone. No footage has emerged showing him brandishing a weapon or attacking officers before he was killed.

Susan Pretti, the mother, criticized the administration’s public statements. "The federal government went on TV and lied about Alex," she said. "They tried to slander his memory to cover up their crime. Not only was it wrong, it was shameful." She and her husband noted that the family first learned of his death from a reporter for The Associated Press.

A meeting between the family and Rosen’s office took place in July after months of requests. Schleicher said the session raised more questions than answers because Rosen refused to provide basic details about the status of the federal investigation. A spokesman for Rosen’s office declined to comment on Tuesday. The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the parents' remarks.

The parents described the ongoing impact of the incident on their daily lives. Michael Pretti said the videos of his son being shot repeatedly in the back while on the ground haunt the family. He noted that Pretti was in his community helping a fellow Minnesotan who had been shoved to the ground when he was killed. "We wish Alex was alive," Michael Pretti said. "We wish we were simply in Minneapolis to visit with Alex."