Alex Pretti, US citizen shot dead by ICE agents, knew he wanted to help others

The man fatally shot by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis was Alex Pretti, a US citizen with no criminal record, officials said.

- Corina Knoll, Julie Bosman and Maia Coleman

Mr Pretti, 37, was a registered nurse who worked in the intensive care unit at the Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital in Minneapolis, according to interviews and public records, and lived in an apartment in Minneapolis a short drive away from where he was killed.

He had a firearms permit, required by state law in Minnesota to carry a handgun, officials said.

Colleagues and acquaintances of Mr Pretti were stunned by his death, recalling a friendly neighbour and hardworking professional who was devoted to his patients.

Dr Dimitri Drekonja said the two had worked together for years. Mr Pretti was capable, competent and friendly, he said, the kind of person who cared deeply about his work and his patients.

"He was a really great colleague and a really great friend," he said. "The default look on his face was a smile."

The two chatted regularly about mountain biking, one of Mr Pretti's passions.

Family members of Mr Pretti declined to comment on Jan 24. His father, Mr Michael Pretti, told The Associated Press that he had warned his son to be careful in Minneapolis.