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Beyond the dispute over the moment of the shooting, the family’s statement focused on who Pretti was when cameras weren’t rolling. They described him as a devoted son, friend, and public servant, emphasizing his work caring for veterans as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. They said he cared deeply about his community and believed in protecting people who were vulnerable.
They also pushed back hard against attempts to smear him after his death, insisting that the language used by some political figures has been reckless and dehumanizing. In their view, the rush to label him a threat served a political purpose: to justify a harsh federal response and discourage public sympathy. They asked the public to share what they believe is the truth of the incident and to judge their son by his life, not by statements made in the heat of a political crisis.