Family of slain nurse claims federal cover-up after 9 months of silence

The parents of Alex Pretti said Tuesday that the federal government has protected the immigration agents involved in the death of their 37-year-old son. They stated that no government official has contacted them with substantial information during the nine months since he was killed.

Michael and Susan Pretti demanded that the Department of Justice hold the officers accountable. Their son was shot during a surge of deportations in Minnesota ordered by President Donald Trump. The couple spoke at a press conference organized by their attorney. They described the treatment they received from the administration as "cruelty."

Federal prosecutors revealed in recent court documents that they stopped sharing evidence with Minnesota authorities. State investigators are looking into the deaths of Pretti and Renee Good. Both victims were killed by federal agents in January. The state is still seeking the cell phones of the involved agents. They are also asking for recordings of key interrogations.

Susan Pretti said the federal government lied about her son on television. "El gobierno federal apareció en televisión y mintió sobre Alex," she said. "Intentaron difamar su memoria para encubrir su crimen. No solo fue un error, sino una vergüenza."

Michael Pretti added that his family has been ignored and deceived. "En todo momento nos han ignorado, engañado y protegido a los asesinos de Alex," he said. "Somos una familia que ama este país. Confiamos en sus instituciones. Creemos en el estado de derecho y en que las personas deben rendir cuentas ante la ley."

Officials from the Trump administration initially portrayed Pretti as an armed agitator. Kristi Noem, who was then the Secretary of Homeland Security, called the veteran's hospital nurse a domestic terrorist. She claimed he violently resisted federal agents. Court records show Pretti had no criminal record. Bystanders recorded video of him holding a mobile phone. No footage has shown him swinging a weapon or attacking agents before he died.

The family decided to speak publicly after being blocked from getting answers. U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche and Minnesota federal prosecutor Dan Rosen prevented them from obtaining responses. The family had tried to contact Rosen's office for months. Rosen agreed to meet with them in July. His attorney, Steve Schleicher, said the meeting produced more questions than answers. Rosen refused to provide basic information about the status of the federal investigation.

A spokesperson for Rosen's office declined to comment on Tuesday. The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the family's statements. Minnesota authorities sued the Trump administration in March. They sought access to materials needed for an independent investigation. The administration suggested state prosecutors lacked jurisdiction over federal agents. Minnesota officials said they did not trust the federal government to investigate itself.

Michael Pretti recalled learning of his son's death through an Associated Press reporter. He said no one from the federal government called that day. "Nos enteramos de su muerte por los medios de comunicación, cuando vimos cómo le disparaban repetidamente por la espalda después de ayudar a una mujer de su comunidad, también de Minnesota, que había sido brutalmente empujada al suelo," he said. "Nadie del gobierno federal nos llamó ese horrible día, pero sí aparecieron en televisión mintiendo sobre Alex. Nadie del gobierno federal nos ha llamado desde entonces."

Pretti said the videos of his son's death torment his family daily. He described the trauma of seeing a peaceful citizen shot in the back while on the ground. "Ojalá no tuviéramos que estar aquí," he said. "Ojalá Alex estuviera vivo. Ojalá estuviéramos en Minneapolis simplemente para visitarlo. Para que él y yo pudiéramos charlar sobre coches, senderismo, ciclismo o cualquier cosa que se nos ocurriera. Esta administración nos ha arrebatado eso para siempre."