A Minneapolis Resident's Life Cut Short in Fatal Border Patrol Shooting, Community Rallies Around Family with GoFundMe Campaign.
As of Saturday evening, a GoFundMe campaign titled "Alex Pretti is an American Hero" has raised over $160,000 from thousands of donations, far exceeding its initial goal of $20,000. The fundraising effort was organized by Keith Edwards in response to the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a Minneapolis resident and American citizen, by Border Patrol agents during a federal immigration enforcement operation.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Pretti allegedly approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a handgun and resisted violently, leading an agent to open fire. However, eyewitness accounts suggest that Pretti was surrounded by at least seven officers before shots were fired, raising questions about the official account of events.
Pretti, a licensed nursing professional who attended the University of Minnesota, had no serious criminal history apart from traffic citations. He legally owned a firearm and was described as a "lawful gun owner" with a permit.
As details about the shooting remain under investigation, the GoFundMe campaign aims to support Pretti's loved ones with "immediate and ongoing needs." Funds will not be distributed until next-of-kin can be verified and an appropriate family representative identified to manage the donations. If funds cannot be transferred to Pretti's family for any reason, they will be directed to the Immigrant Defense Project, a nonprofit that provides litigation, advocacy, and community-defense resources to help immigrants defend their rights and fight deportation.
The outpouring of support for Pretti's family has been widespread, with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey expressing outrage over the operation and calling for an end to such invasions. Dr. Dimitri Drekonja, a colleague of Pretti's who worked with him at the VA, described him as "a good kind person who lived to help" before his tragic death.
The community is still reeling from this senseless act of violence, but it has come together in support of Pretti's family through this GoFundMe campaign. As the investigation continues, one thing is clear: Pretti's life was cut short in a preventable and avoidable tragedy that demands answers.
As of Saturday evening, a GoFundMe campaign titled "Alex Pretti is an American Hero" has raised over $160,000 from thousands of donations, far exceeding its initial goal of $20,000. The fundraising effort was organized by Keith Edwards in response to the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a Minneapolis resident and American citizen, by Border Patrol agents during a federal immigration enforcement operation.
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Pretti allegedly approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a handgun and resisted violently, leading an agent to open fire. However, eyewitness accounts suggest that Pretti was surrounded by at least seven officers before shots were fired, raising questions about the official account of events.
Pretti, a licensed nursing professional who attended the University of Minnesota, had no serious criminal history apart from traffic citations. He legally owned a firearm and was described as a "lawful gun owner" with a permit.
As details about the shooting remain under investigation, the GoFundMe campaign aims to support Pretti's loved ones with "immediate and ongoing needs." Funds will not be distributed until next-of-kin can be verified and an appropriate family representative identified to manage the donations. If funds cannot be transferred to Pretti's family for any reason, they will be directed to the Immigrant Defense Project, a nonprofit that provides litigation, advocacy, and community-defense resources to help immigrants defend their rights and fight deportation.
The outpouring of support for Pretti's family has been widespread, with Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey expressing outrage over the operation and calling for an end to such invasions. Dr. Dimitri Drekonja, a colleague of Pretti's who worked with him at the VA, described him as "a good kind person who lived to help" before his tragic death.
The community is still reeling from this senseless act of violence, but it has come together in support of Pretti's family through this GoFundMe campaign. As the investigation continues, one thing is clear: Pretti's life was cut short in a preventable and avoidable tragedy that demands answers.
my heart goes out to pretti's family and loved ones, it's absolutely devastating that his life was cut short like this 
the fact that he had no serious criminal history just makes it even more gut-wrenching... it's not right that an american citizen has to die at the hands of border patrol agents who are supposed to be protecting our country 
i hope the investigation uncovers the truth and brings some measure of justice to pretti's family 
just when you think things can't get any crazier at the border 
alex was just trying to live his life like everyone else, no criminal record, paid his taxes, got his permits 
and now he's gone 
it's not fair, period. the gofundme is blowing up though 
$160k in 2 days? that's wild 
let's just hope the investigation comes out with some real answers and not just more bureaucracy 
. The fact that he had no major crimes on record apart from some traffic tickets makes you wonder if this could've been avoided 
. The GoFundMe campaign is really heartwarming to see, though - it shows the community coming together for Alex's family in a big way 
. Minneapolis Mayor Frey speaking out about the operation is great, and it's awesome to see Dr. Drekonja sharing memories of Alex as a kind and good person 
. We just need answers, you know? 
And don't even get me started on the "lawful gun owner" label - what does that even mean anymore? 
It just seems like another case of poor training and sloppy decision-making by those in power. 
. And yeah, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey speaking out is a good sign that there's some change coming. We need to make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen to anyone else. The fact that funds are being directed to an immigrant defense project is also super important. It's not just about the family, it's about creating a system where people can feel safe and supported. 
can't believe how quickly people are jumping to make Alex a hero already? I mean, I'm sure he was a great guy and all, but let's not forget the whole gun situation... 
. But can we please not glorify someone who was carrying a handgun in a public setting? 
this is just heartbreaking ... $160k in 24 hours? that's insane! 
, but because he was genuinely loved by so many ppl 
especially with all the eyewitnesses saying he was surrounded by officers before shots were fired... it's like, what even happened here? 
. And the fact that they opened fire without even trying to de-escalate or use any other means first is just wild. It's like, what exactly were they expecting to happen? The community is totally right to be outraged and demanding answers from the authorities 
. I'm still trying to wrap my head around this one... it's just so senseless 
OMG, this is so sad 
. I love how the community is coming together to support his family, though - it's beautiful 
. This just shows how unpredictable life can be... you never know what's gonna happen from one minute to the next 
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A guy, just living his life, minding his own biz, gets shot by border patrol agents and suddenly his family's life is turned upside down 
.
. We need to figure out what really went down before we start throwing around labels and judgment 
. And kudos to the GoFundMe campaign for getting things started 
, you know? I heard their pepperoni is on point 
. Anyway, back to the news... have you ever noticed how some TV shows have these super dramatic music scores during intense scenes? Like, it's like they're trying to say "drama alert" 
. And can we talk about how ridiculous it is that Border Patrol agents are enforcing immigration laws in the first place? I mean, I get where they're coming from, but isn't there a more efficient way to do it? Like, maybe just have some community outreach programs or something?
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