Video showing aftermath of Alex Preti’s death in Minneapolis
Protesters blocked roads as federal agents marched in after the death of Alex Preti in Minneapolis.
More than $500,000 has been raised through an online fundraiser for the loved ones of Alex Preti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse who was shot and killed by a U.S. Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis on January 24.
Fundraisers said the donations, which totaled more than $530,000 as of early afternoon on January 25, are aimed at supporting the “immediate and continuing needs” of the family Preti left behind. Organizer Keith Edwards said Ms Preti’s father had been added as a beneficiary, giving their family direct access to the funds raised.
“Thank you to everyone who donated and helped fundraise. You are the best of America,” Edwards wrote. USA TODAY reached out to GoFundMe and Edwards to confirm whether the fundraiser was confirmed.
Preti, a U.S. citizen and registered nurse who treated veterans, was shot and killed by federal agents after confronting immigration authorities in the Midwestern city. Federal officials claimed Preti had a gun that he intended to use to “kill law enforcement.” Video from bystanders and witnesses submitted to the court does not show Preeti brandishing a weapon as she approaches the agents.
The deadly shooting occurred just weeks after an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer shot and killed Renee Nicole Good. The incident quickly sparked protests across the U.S., and the backlash grew after the Jan. 24 shooting.
Federal agents from multiple law enforcement agencies arrived in Minneapolis in early January, ramping up the Trump administration’s immigration and deportation efforts in the city. The influx of agents into Minnesota comes after federal authorities were sent to other major cities, including Los Angeles. Portland, Oregon. Charlotte, North Carolina, Chicago. ICE shootings have also occurred in both Portland and Chicago, including the death of immigrant Silverio Villegas Gonzalez.
In a statement shared by the Minnesota Democratic Farmer-Labor Party, Preti’s family described her as a “good man” and “a kind-hearted man who cared deeply about his family, friends, and the veterans he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Virginia State Hospital in Minneapolis.”
USA TODAY’s Michael Loria, N’dea Yancey-Bragg and Kathryn Palmer contributed to this report.
Kate Perez covers national trends and breaking news for USA TODAY. You can reach her at kperez@usatodayco.com or X @katecperez_.
