Parents of Alex Pretti Appear Publicly in Minneapolis for the First Time on Oct. 27, Accusing Justice Department of Withholding Evidence in Their Son's Killing
Minneapolis, Hennepin County, Minnesota — The parents of Alex Pretti appeared in public for the first time since his death at a news conference in Minneapolis on Oct. 27. Pretti, 37, an intensive care nurse, was shot and killed by federal immigration officers in January while taking part in a protest against federal immigration enforcement operations in Minneapolis.
His father, Michael Pretti, said the family's dealings with the Justice Department had left them doubting whether their son would receive justice, and he demanded that the department "do its job and stop shielding the people who killed Alex." In a statement to Reuters, the Justice Department responded that communication with families usually occurs at later stages of a case — such as indictment, initial appearance, trial or sentencing — and that such communication typically does not take place during an investigation.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty opened a criminal investigation shortly after Pretti's death and sued the federal government in March seeking evidence from the deaths of Pretti and Renee Good and from a separate non-fatal shooting. Officials initially said Pretti had tried to attack officers with a legally carried handgun, but bystander video showed him holding a phone and trying to help a protester who had been pushed to the ground.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：明尼阿波利斯市中心街景（资料图）。作者 Tony Webster，CC BY，取自 Wikimedia Commons。 / Photo: Downtown Minneapolis, file photo. By Tony Webster, CC BY, via Wikimedia Commons.
