The family of Alex Pretti, the ICU nurse killed by federal immigration officers in Minnesota, is still seeking “justice” seven months after his death.
In an interview broadcast Tuesday, Pretti’s father, mother and sister spoke to “Good Morning America” and told co-anchor George Stephanopoulos they believe the 37-year-old was “murdered.” (Watch the full interview below.)
Pretti was one of two American citizens fatally shot earlier this year by federal agents during the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown in Minneapolis, causing nationwide outrage. Renee Good was killed in a separate incident roughly two weeks earlier.
Widely shared footage of the January encounter shows Pretti, an ICU nurse with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs who was observing immigration activity, shot several times by two federal agents.
In the videos of the incident, Pretti appears to be recording when a federal officer pushes a woman into him, leading to a struggle.
In the clips, Pretti is not seen holding a weapon in his hand, only a phone. His firearm, which he was licensed to carry, was removed by an officer before he was shot multiple times.
The family revealed to the ABC News show that they found out about his death from the live television coverage of the shooting.
“We watched it on TV, and I was like, ‘That’s our son. That’s Alex,’” his father, Michael Pretti, said. “And they killed him. No one called us.”
“We still haven’t heard from them,” Susan Pretti, Alex’s mother, said.
“Watching our son be shot 10 times on TV,” said Michael Pretti.
“In the back,” Susan Pretti continued.
Asked whether they were surprised that Alex Pretti was helping someone else, Susan Pretti said her only “shock is that he was murdered, and no one has given us the complete truth, or anyone has been held accountable.”
Michael Pretti added: “There was more effort in vilifying him than pursuing justice.”
The Justice Department launched a civil rights investigation into Alex Pretti’s death, but his family’s lawyers told ABC News it is unclear where the probe stands.
A spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security, which is also involved in the investigation, along with the FBI, told the outlet that the investigation remains active. The FBI did not comment, ABC News said.
In the immediate aftermath of Alex Pretti’s death, the Trump administration attempted to smear the nurse as a “domestic terrorist.”
White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller called Alex Pretti an “assassin” who “tried to murder federal agents” in a post that has still not been deleted.
President Donald Trump called him an “agitator” and “perhaps” an “insurrectionist” after footage of a separate incident involving federal agents emerged.
Michael Pretti said Trump’s comments were “so un-presidential,” and Miller’s were “disgusting.”
“I expect an apology. Why shouldn’t we get one for the things they said?” Susan Pretti said.
In any case, the family wants the two shooters to be held accountable.
“They murdered our child,” said Susan Pretti, adding: “People need to be held responsible when they murder people in this country. Period.”
A DOJ spokesperson told ABC News that communications with family “do not typically occur during an investigation.”
JS has asked the DOJ for comment.