Neighbor says Alex Pretti was a non-violent protester after Minneapolis shooting by federal agent
MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: As a memorial continues to grow on a city street, neighbors of Alex Pretti are pushing back against federal claims about the man fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent on Saturday, January 24, describing him instead as a peaceful protester and an essential worker rooted in his community.
Pretti had been among thousands of demonstrators participating in a non-violent strike on Friday, calling for federal agents to leave Minneapolis, according to those who knew him.
Neighbor remembers Alex Pretti as a community member and ICU nurse
Chris Gray, Pretti’s next-door neighbor, spoke emotionally on Saturday as he stood near a memorial honoring the 37-year-old, describing him as someone deeply woven into the daily life of the neighborhood.
“He was an ICU nurse. He was a worker like myself,” Gray told CNN’s Sara Sidner. “He was part of the fabric of my community.”
Gray said Pretti was not an outsider or agitator but one of many residents who regularly showed up for peaceful demonstrations alongside immigrants and working-class families.
“He was part of the fabric of my community, along with immigrants and many other people who represent our neighborhood,” Gray said.
Neighbor rejects Trump administration's characterization of Alex Pretti
Federal officials previously said Pretti posed a severe threat during the encounter, with Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Greg Bovino stating the situation appeared to involve someone attempting to “massacre law enforcement.”
Gray forcefully rejected that characterization, saying it misrepresented both Pretti and the broader movement he was part of.
Gray said he wants people to remember Pretti as someone who participated in “a mass non-violent community resistance,” rather than through the lens of official statements from Washington.
“Everything they say about my neighbors is a lie,” Gray said, referring to the Trump administration.
Non-violent protests and strikes over federal enforcement actions
According to Gray, Pretti had been one of thousands of people who took part in a coordinated strike on Friday, during which hundreds of businesses across the state were encouraged to close in protest of federal immigration enforcement.
The demonstrations were aimed at demanding an end to deportations and calling for federal agents to withdraw from Minneapolis neighborhoods.
“These are ordinary people who are trying to keep their neighborhood together and to stay whole,” Gray said.
Following Pretti’s death, Gray called for another strike, saying the community’s response would continue to be rooted in collective, peaceful action.
Community pushes back against ICE presence in Minneapolis
Gray accused Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents of destabilizing the neighborhood, arguing their presence has only deepened fear and division.
“The people destroying our neighborhood are these ICE agents who are running around, out of control, who have done nothing to make my life safer, done nothing to make my life better,” he said.
He described the current situation as an “occupation,” adding that residents see federal enforcement as disconnected from the realities faced by working-class communities.
‘The whole community is standing together,’ neighbor says
Gray framed the protests as part of a broader struggle against what he described as divisive political tactics targeting vulnerable populations.
“The whole community is standing together against this occupation of ICE, which is part of a divide and roll tactic that the Trump regime is pushing on us because they have no answers for the real issues that working-class people face,” he said.
