A sign for 37-year-old Alex Pretti, who was fatally shot by a U.S. Border Patrol officer earlier in the day, is displayed during a vigil Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Adam Gray) A GoFundMe campaign to support the family of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, an American citizen shot dead by a federal officer on January 24 in Minneapolis, has raised over 1.5 million dollars. The crowdfunding campaign launched by YouTuber Keith Edwards has listed the slain ICU nurse’s father, Michael, the beneficiary and already has access to funds.
According to the campaign page, more than 38,000 people have donated to support the family of Pretti. Among them, one of the donors stood out – a $10,000 contribution by billionaire investor and hedge fund manager Bill Ackman.
Ackman’s donation came after he was challenged by Shannon Watts, the founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “Done. That said, I don’t agree with the GoFundMe that he is an American hero, but his loss is tragic for him and his family,” Ackman wrote in his reply.
Ackman made the donation to support Pretti’s father, nearly two weeks after he contributed the same amount for another online fundraiser in favour of Jonathan Ross, the ICE agent who shot dead Renee Good on January 7th in Minneapolis.
The 59-year-old, who was a long-time donor to Democratic candidates, shifted his support, stating that the Democratic Party no longer reflected his values. He endorsed Donald Trump in the 2024 US presidential elections.
Story continues below this ad
Following the killing of Pretti, Ackman blamed Minnesota’s Democratic Governor Tim Walz for his death.
“It is almost as if the governor of Minnesota called for protesters to intervene in ICE enforcements in an incendiary manner?” he said on X.
What is it about Minneapolis that the two tragic ICE shootings took place there within two or so weeks of each other? Could it really be a coincidence?
It is almost as if the governor of Minnesota called for protestors to intervene in ICE enforcements in an incendiary manner?…
— Bill Ackman (@BillAckman) January 24, 2026
“Inciting the people to rise up against law enforcement is guaranteed to end badly, and now we have seen the tragic consequences,” he added.
