'How Many Innocent Lives Must Be Lost?' Alex Pretti’s Sister Speaks Through Grief

The younger sister of Alex Pretti issued a statement Monday memorializing her older brother’s kindness and criticizing "disgusting lies" told in the wake of his death.

Micayla Pretti called her brother a hero and thanked everyone who had reached out to the family with messages or posts she described as sharing the overwhelming positivity that reflected his character, work ethic and passions.

"All Alex ever wanted was to help someone — anyone," she said. "Even in his very last moments on this earth, he was simply trying to do just that."

Alex Pretti was an intensive care nurse, and through his work at the Veterans Administration, "he touched more lives than he probably ever realized," his sister said.

She lamented how some have portrayed her brother.

"When does this end? How many more innocent lives must be lost before we say enough?" Micayla Pretti asked. "Hearing disgusting lies spread about my brother is absolutely gut-wrenching."

The Star Tribune has the full statement.

Minneapolis Mayor Frey Meets With Border Czar As Talks Continue On Operation Metro Surge

Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said he urged that federal officials to bring Operation Metro Surge to an end as quickly as possible during a private meeting Wednesday with Border Czar Tom Homan.

Homan arrived in Minneapolis as Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino and "some" of the federal agents under his command are being pulled out of Minnesota in the aftermath of Saturday’s fatal shooting of Alex Pretti. Read more here.

Minneapolis Mayor Frey Meets With Border Czar As Talks Continue On Operation Metro Surge

Minnesota's chief federal judge said the Trump administration failed to comply with orders to hold hearings for detained immigrants and ordered the head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to appear before him Friday to explain why he shouldn’t be held in contempt.

Chief Judge Patrick J. Schiltz said Todd Lyons, the acting director of ICE, must appear personally in court. Schiltz took the administration to task over its handling of bond hearings for immigrants it has detained. Read more here.

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Alex Pretti Remembered By Loves Ones As Nurse Who 'Wanted To Make A Difference'

Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this story.