Minneapolis authorities are investigating the death of a local man, identified as a law-abiding gun owner, who was shot by federal Border Patrol agents during protests in the city on Saturday. Multiple videos from the scene show the man, Michael Pretti, being sprayed with a substance and pinned to the ground moments before the shooting. Witnesses said he had been trying to assist a female protester who was being pushed by a federal officer.
Pretti, in his 30s, had joined the demonstrations against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) following the death of Renee Nicole Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, who was killed by a federal agent in Minneapolis just over two weeks earlier. His father, Michael Pretti, told the Associated Press that his son was motivated by a desire to help others.
“He cared about people deeply and he was very upset with what was happening in Minneapolis and throughout the United States with ICE, as millions of other people are upset,” he said. “He felt that doing the protesting was a way to express his care for others.” He added that he had advised his son to participate safely. “Go ahead and protest, but do not engage, do not do anything stupid. He knew that,” Michael Pretti said.
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara described Pretti as a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry a firearm in public. O’Hara noted that Pretti had no significant criminal record beyond a few minor parking tickets.
Pretti’s former colleagues at the VA Hospital praised his compassion and dedication. Dr. Dimitri Drekonja, who worked with Pretti, described him as “a kind person who lived to help.” The American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), representing Minneapolis VA staff, said Pretti “dedicated his life to serving American veterans.” AFGE President Everett Kelley criticized federal policies and rhetoric, stating the tragedy was the result of “reckless policy, inflammatory rhetoric, and manufactured crisis over responsible leadership and de-escalation.”
Pretti’s care extended beyond patients’ medical needs. Mac Randolph, whose father, an Air Force veteran, was treated by Pretti in December 2024, recalled his compassion during his father’s final days. “He explained everything that would happen when they turned off the oxygen,” Randolph told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Pretti even took Randolph’s father on an “honorary walk” around the facility on his gurney, draped in an American flag. Randolph later shared a video of Pretti reading a tribute to his father: “Today, we remember that freedom is not free. We have to work at it, nurture it, protect it, and even sacrifice for it.”
Born in Illinois, Pretti graduated from Preble High School in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in 2006 and earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Minnesota in 2011 before obtaining his nursing license. Colleagues remembered him as deeply committed to his patients and his community.
The Minneapolis shooting has renewed scrutiny on federal law enforcement tactics during protests and continues to spark debate over policy and the use of force. Authorities have urged witnesses and anyone affected by the incident to come forward as investigations continue.
