Renee Good's Family Reacts to Alex Pretti's Passing in Minneapolis

Two lives lost. One city in shock. After back-to-back fatal shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis, Renee Nicole Good's family breaks their silence.

In just over two weeks, two people were fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis: Renee Nicole Good and Alex Pretti. Both were 37-year-old U.S. citizens, and their deaths have raised serious questions about how federal enforcement operations are carried out in the city.

As more details about the cases have emerged, public concern has grown. Now, Good's family has spoken out, releasing a statement in response to what happened.

Alex Pretti's Case: A Son Devoted To Healing and Service

As previously reported, the family of Pretti responded publicly after the 37-year-old was shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent on Saturday, January 24, 2026.

In a statement shared with Hindustan Times on January 25, Pretti's parents, Michael Pretti and Susan Pretti, described their son as compassionate, selfless, and deeply committed to caring for others.

"We are heartbroken but also very angry," the statement read. "Alex was a kindhearted 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."

The parents also emphasized what they believe defines his final moments:

"I do not throw around the hero term lightly. However, his last thought and act was to protect a woman."

A Scuffle, Conflicting Claims, and Video Evidence

According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the Trump administration, Pretti was carrying a firearm and pulled it during a scuffle with ICE agents. However, multiple bystander-recorded videos appear to challenge that version of events.

The footage suggests that although Pretti was carrying a licensed firearm, he did not raise or point it at officers. Further analysis from Sky News describes a harrowing sequence captured on video: Pretti is on his knees when the first shot is fired and appears motionless when at least nine more shots follow.

The visual evidence has intensified public scrutiny over the use of force and whether lethal action was justified.

Alex Pretti's Alleged Final Words

Amid the circulating footage and online reactions, two short phrases have emerged repeatedly, words that many believe capture Pretti's final moments.

Witnesses and reports say Pretti was attempting to intervene on behalf of a woman during the confrontation. "Don't touch her!" he reportedly told an ICE agent.

Moments later, he is said to have turned his attention to the woman and asked, "Are you okay?" Those words have become central to how supporters and loved ones remember him.

A Student Says His Final Words Match the Man He Knew

Social media commentator Brian Krassenstein shared a post on X from someone who identified as Pretti's final nursing student, offering a deeply personal perspective.

In the letter, the former student explained that Pretti had served as both mentor and close friend during a four-month ICU capstone preceptorship at the Minneapolis VA Hospital, where he trained students to handle the most critically ill patients.

The student described learning complex lifesaving procedures under Pretti's guidance, including managing arterial and central lines, juggling multiple IV medications, and monitoring vital signs with precision.

More than technical skills, the student recalls the deceased nurse's steady presence, his patience, compassion, and calm demeanor in the most intense medical situations.

The writer said Pretti consistently carried a quiet light within him, and that same calm composure was visible in the final moments captured on video.

According to the student, it came as no surprise that Pretti's reported last words were, "Are you okay?" because caring for others was the core of his identity.

Pretti's death occurred 17 days after Good was killed.

Inside the Renee Nicole Good Case

On a snowy Wednesday morning, January 7, in Minneapolis, 37‑year‑old Renee Nicole Good was returning home after dropping off her six‑year‑old son at school.

Accompanied by her current partner, the pair had just completed the routine errand when their path crossed with a group of ICE agents.

Routine Errand Turns Into a Scene of Horror

The chilling encounter occurred along a residential street, not far from where the couple had relocated last year (2025) from Kansas City, Missouri.

Such information was reported by the ex-husband of the victim, who requested anonymity to protect the safety of their children. What began as an ordinary morning quickly escalated into tragedy, setting off a chain of events that would lead to the fatal shooting of Good.

Since learning of the mother's death at the hands of an ICE agent in Minneapolis, Good's family is reeling in grief.

Bloodied Widow Breaks Down After Brutal Shooting

In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, a woman identified as Good's wife was seen in a state of utter devastation. Covered in blood, she reportedly cried out, "They shot her in the head. I have a 6-year-old in school." Distraught and panicked, she added, "I made her come down here, [sic] it's my fault. They just shot my wife."

Her harrowing words echoed through the neighborhood as bystanders looked on, stunned by the sudden burst of violence that claimed a life and shattered a family.

A Poet, a Mother, a Light: Victim's Mother Remembers Kind Daughter

Good's mother, Donna Ganger, confirmed her daughter's identity and shared heartfelt memories of who Good was beyond the headlines. "Renee was one of the kindest people I've ever known," she said. "She was extremely compassionate. She's taken care of people all her life. She was loving, forgiving and [sic] affectionate. She was an amazing human being."

"She was probably terrified," Ganger added of her daughter's killing. She also clarified that Good was never a part of any protest affiliations against ICE agents.

A passionate creative, Good once described herself on social media as a "poet and writer and wife and mom and [expletive] guitar strummer from Colorado; experiencing Minneapolis, MN."

In 2020, while studying creative writing at Old Dominion University, she received the university's undergraduate poetry prize for her work titled "On Learning to Dissect Fetal Pigs." She also co-hosted a podcast with her then-husband, the late Timmy Ray Macklin Jr., who passed away in 2023 at just 36 years old.

Grandfather of Late Woman's Child Speaks Out

Timmy Ray Macklin Sr., Good's former father-in-law, expressed deep sorrow upon learning of her death. His son and Good shared a child who is now six years old. "There's nobody else in his life," he expressed. "I'll drive. I'll fly. To come and get my grandchild."

He also noted that Good had two additional children, believed to be living with extended family. In the days following the tragedy, neighbors and friends spoke warmly about Good and the life she was building with her family in Minneapolis.

Friends and Neighbors Remember Renee Good as a Beacon of Love

Mary Radford, a 27-year-old neighbor, recalled seeing Good and her young son outside often, playing with Radford's Australian shepherd, Hazelnut.

"It's a beautiful family. They have a son. He's very sweet. He loves our dog," Radford said through tears. "We're gonna miss seeing them — forever. It is so painful to think about how he's gonna fare in his life. And I just can't even imagine what that family is going through."

Others echoed Radford's sentiments. Megan Kocher, who had recently met Good and her wife, remembered being welcomed into their home with tea and cookies.

"[She] was such a warm and loving mother. This is tragic beyond words," Kocher wrote on social media.

After the back-to-back shootings of Good and Pretti, her family issued a statement expressing concern about what they described as a troubling pattern.

Family Responds to Alex Pretti's Death

As reported by People, Good's family expressed deep concern over the use of lethal force against peaceful demonstrators. Their statement, released through their attorneys on January 25, read:

"The events of this weekend in Minneapolis are terrifying, deeply disturbing, and heartbreaking — with yet another U.S. citizen losing their life while taking part in the time-honored and Constitutionally protected activity of being present to observe and peacefully advocate for their beliefs."

The family also encouraged the public to examine footage of the incident independently rather than relying solely on official accounts:

"We urge all Americans to trust their own eyes as they interpret the horrific video, and to call for an absolute end to ICE activity in Minneapolis. It has clearly gone too far and strayed far beyond its stated mission of removing criminal non-citizens from the country. It is time for a hard reset. ICE agents can leave Minneapolis. The residents of Minnesota cannot."

Their statement concluded with: "We call for a complete and immediate end to the ICE invasion of this beautiful American city."