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AMY GOODMAN: This is Democracy Now!, democracynow.org. I’m Amy Goodman.
We turn now to look more at the life of Alex Pretti, fatally shot by federal immigration agents in Minnesota Saturday morning after he tried to help a woman they had shoved to the ground. Pretti was an intensive care nurse who worked at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System.
The family of Alex released a statement, saying, in part, “We are heartbroken, but also very angry. Alex was a kind-hearted soul who cared deeply for his family and friends and also the American Veterans whom he cared for as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital. Alex wanted to make a difference in this world. Unfortunately, he will not be with us to see his impact,” his family said.
This is a video of Alex Pretti working at the VA hospital. He’s seen here reading a tribute to veteran Terrance Randolph, who died of cancer in 2024 at the VA hospital. Randolph’s son posted the video online.
ALEX PRETTI: Terrance Lee Randolph, March 30th, 1947–December 10th, 2024. Today we remember that freedom is not free. We have to work at it, nurture it, protect it, and even sacrifice for it. May we never forget and always remember our brothers and sisters who have served so that we may enjoy the gift of freedom. So, in this moment, we remember and give thanks for their dedication and selfless service to our nation in the cause of our freedom. In this solemn hour, we render them our honor and our gratitude.
AMY GOODMAN: That was Alex Pretti speaking.
We’re joined now by Dr. Aasma Shaukat. She hired Alex for a research position at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System about a decade ago. She’s now a physician and clinical researcher at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the Manhattan VA Medical Center.
Dr. Shaukat, thanks so much for taking this time. Our deepest condolences. You’ve called Alex “the sweetest, kindest, gentlest soul.” So, can you talk about who Alex was, what he did at the VA, why you even hired him a decade ago?
DR. AASMA SHAUKAT: Thank you for having me on.
Alex came looking for a position, and he wanted to start off as a research assistant. And what he said was he was passionate about taking care of patients and being involved in healthcare and helping his community, and he wanted to kind of work towards a career in healthcare. So we took him on as a research assistant. And he was absolutely wonderful and a joy to work with, went above and beyond to help anybody and really had a good rapport with all the patients that were part of the study. And I think patients connected with him on — based on his deep empathy for them. He was the kind of helpful person that would open doors for you. If somebody was trying to get in the elevator, he’d hold it for you. If he saw a patient wandering around the hospital looking lost, he would try to help them and direct them. And he did everything really well, and then expressed an interest to go into nursing school. We supported his application. And he worked very hard during his first few years, doing work with us full time and taking nursing classes part time, and then, eventually, went into nursing full time. He said he would come back and take care of veterans, who are a particularly vulnerable and important group of individuals that require a lot of care. And he actually did. So, he came back to work at the same hospital where he started.
AMY GOODMAN: Can you talk about how you found out that Alex had been killed? Was it from the official DHS statement? I think they called him something along the lines of a domestic terrorist.
DR. AASMA SHAUKAT: I actually found out from our original clinical research group. We still keep in touch, and we have a group chat. And we were all in shock. We just couldn’t believe that this was our Alex, the Alex we knew, who was nothing but kindness, compassion and just a strong sense of civic duty to help his fellow citizens.
AMY GOODMAN: And can you give us examples of his research role, where Alex’s compassion or intellect directly impacted a veteran’s care or a study’s outcome? Was he involved with clinical trials?
DR. AASMA SHAUKAT: He was involved with clinical trials. A lot of it had to do with enrolling potential participants that were eligible, speaking with them, and then following up on them. And one of our particular studies we were recruiting for, I remember he told us about a patient that he was able to speak with who was having a lot of difficulties just about his medical and overall life. And Alex was not just able to tell him about the study, but also guide him in terms of where he should go for his healthcare or what kind of questions he should ask with his physicians. So, really, he went above and beyond, and his compassion really shown through.
AMY GOODMAN: Can you talk about the differences between being a healthcare professional for veterans and for civilians, Dr. Shaukat?
DR. AASMA SHAUKAT: Yes, sure. So, Veterans Affairs hospital systems take care of veterans. And, you know, these are very, very valued members of our society that have put their lives on the line for the country, so we owe them a lot. They also have a lot of medical, as well as mental health challenges, along with socioeconomic and other challenges that they face. So they’re a particularly vulnerable group and one that it is both challenging and rewarding to work with. So, that’s what Alex wanted to do, was really help the most vulnerable and the disfranchised group that, you know, others don’t really pay attention to.
AMY GOODMAN: Dr. Shaukat, beyond the personal grief of losing a former colleague, can you talk about the loss of a caregiver?
DR. AASMA SHAUKAT: I think this is an assault on our healthcare community. We care for our healthcare team members. As you know, every day it’s long hours. They’re underpaid and overworked. So, really, it is a calling, not just a job. And for somebody to be in this noble profession, what you get out of it is the satisfaction of helping others, of being a healer. So, for a member of our community to be brutally murdered like this is extremely shocking and very, very devastating for our community.
AMY GOODMAN: I want to thank you so much, Dr. Aasma Shaukat, who hired Alex Pretti a decade ago for a research position at the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Health Care System. She’s now a physician and clinical researcher here in New York at the NYU Grossman School of Medicine and the Manhattan VA Medical Center.
This is Democracy Now! When we come back, we turn to a civil rights attorney and minister who was arrested and jailed last week for protesting. Stay with us.
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AMY GOODMAN: “El Hielo,” “Ice,” by La Santa Cecilia in our Democracy Now! studio.
