By John Q. Hosedrinker 
The article details the moments leading up to Pretti’s death, beginning with an EMT’s immediate assessment of a horrific brain injury upon seeing him. Pretti, a 37-year-old protester, was reportedly filming ICE activity before intervening in an altercation where another protester was shoved by an agent. Following the spraying of a chemical irritant, Pretti was apprehended by multiple officers and, while being subdued, was shot by one of them.
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The tragic death of Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse, in Minneapolis has brought to light deeply disturbing details about the circumstances surrounding his final moments and the actions of federal agents. Moments after intervening to help a woman who had been shoved by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent, Pretti was shot and killed by a swarm of ICE agents. Adding a layer of profound tragedy to this already horrific event, the very person Pretti attempted to defend, an EMT, was allegedly prevented from providing him with critical medical aid in his dying moments.
The EMT, who spoke anonymously fearing retribution, recounted the immediate aftermath of the shooting, describing how she identified herself as a medical professional and urgently offered her assistance. She immediately recognized the severity of Pretti’s injuries, stating, “I could tell the second that I laid eyes on him that he was horrifically injured. I immediately said, ‘I’m an EMT! He has a brain injury! He has a serious brain injury! I need to help him right now.’” Her plea to help was met with resistance from federal agents who restrained her, preventing her from administering aid.
Video footage captured by bystanders at multiple angles shows Pretti, 37, filming ICE activity before stepping in to defend a protester who had been violently shoved by an agent. This intervention, which aimed to de-escalate a tense situation and protect another individual, ultimately led to his own fatal confrontation with the agents. After Pretti intervened, both he and the woman he was defending were sprayed with a chemical irritant, and Pretti was subsequently separated from the other demonstrator amidst chaotic conditions.
The EMT’s desperate attempts to provide life-saving measures were thwarted. She vividly recalled her pleas to the agent holding her back, stating, “I was literally begging the agent who was holding me back to let me do CPR. Because I knew that if he wasn’t pulseless at that point already, he was going to become pulseless very, very soon.” This account underscores a harrowing delay in medical attention that could have potentially made a difference, even if Pretti’s injuries were ultimately unsurvivable. The EMT was carrying trauma supplies, highlighting her preparedness and immediate intention to render aid.
Pretti’s death was later ruled a homicide by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner, a classification that implies his death was caused by another human being. The legal framework governing individuals in federal custody mandates that they be kept safe, a principle rooted in due process rights enshrined in the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendments. Furthermore, Department of Justice guidelines explicitly prohibit officers from ignoring serious medical conditions or risks of harm that could jeopardize an individual’s life. In Pretti’s case, it appears these fundamental tenets were disregarded.
The EMT’s observations of Pretti’s medical state, including identifying “decorticate posturing”—a sign of severe brain trauma—further emphasize the critical nature of the situation and the urgent need for immediate medical intervention. Videos show her frantic pleading as other agents surrounded Pretti’s body, underscoring the agonizing moments before his life tragically ended. She expressed the profound pain of being denied the opportunity to help, stating, “They were hellbent on not allowing anybody to help him until he was dead. I was right there, and they — all of them — made the decision to deny me access to give him the best possible chance of survival.”
The standard medical practice of commencing CPR immediately upon cardiac arrest is crucial, and delays can significantly increase the risk of death. The EMT’s regret is palpable, as she lamented, “The trauma of that is significant. He didn’t get the final act of kindness of someone trying to render him aid.” This sentiment points to a broader ethical failure, beyond the immediate cause of death, in the way Pretti was treated in his final moments.
The incident began when the EMT and another woman were being physically moved by an agent. The EMT described being “flying backwards” and having to run and stumble to avoid falling. She initially felt a sense of gratitude towards one agent who appeared to help her and the other woman, only to later realize that this same agent was involved in shooting Pretti. Her attempts to de-escalate the situation by stating, “We’re leaving! We’re leaving. We’re leaving!” were apparently ignored.
Despite Pretti’s actions being characterized as an act of selfless intervention to protect civilians from federal agents, some officials, including Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, controversially labeled him a “domestic terrorist.” The EMT, however, believes Pretti’s intervention may have saved others from similar aggressive actions by federal agents that day, suggesting he was acting as a protector, not a threat. His final act was one of concern for another’s well-being, asking, “are you okay?” before his life was brutally cut short. The notion that his actions warranted an “extrajudicial street side execution” is deeply troubling and contradicts the narrative of a life extinguished while trying to help others. The lack of accountability for the ICE agents involved in this incident raises serious questions about the integrity of the system and the value placed on human life by federal law enforcement.