Actress Cynthia Nixon erupted on social media this week, calling the fatal shooting of 37‑year‑old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis a “cold blooded execution” and accusing Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem of spreading “morally reprehensible, disgusting lies” about the incident. Nixon, best known for her role in Sex and the City, posted a video in which she read a statement from Pretti’s parents and urged her followers to share it widely.
In the video, Nixon said she wanted to “set the record straight” with what Pretti’s parents had asked to be made public about their son and the circumstances of his death. She emphasized that the family is “heartbroken, but also very angry,” and described Pretti as a “kind‑hearted soul” who worked as an ICU nurse at the Minneapolis VA Hospital and cared deeply for his family, friends, and the veterans he served.
According to the parents’ statement Nixon read, Pretti’s final act was to protect a woman, and they strongly disputed claims that he was holding a gun when the shooting occurred. The statement asserted that he had his phone in one hand and his empty other hand raised above his head while trying to help someone they said had been pushed down and pepper‑sprayed.
The actress repeatedly castigated political leaders and officials, including Noem, for their characterization of the event, framing it as part of a broader attempt to misrepresent what happened. Her comments have stirred intense debate online and drawn fire from those who support law enforcement and the federal response.
It’s important to note that Pretti was shot by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent — not an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer, as some supporters of Nixon’s account have implied. Available information from law enforcement indicates that Pretti was armed with a handgun during the struggle that preceded the shooting, though details remain a point of contention among protesters and officials.
Federal policy governing use of force allows deadly force when an agent reasonably believes a person poses an imminent danger of death or serious physical injury. Critics of Nixon’s remarks argue that public debate should consider the totality of the circumstances as perceived by the agent at the moment the decision to fire was made, rather than retrospective judgments shaped by edited footage or political narratives.
The exchange reflects the broader polarization around the Minneapolis incident, with celebrities, activists, and public officials sharply divided on how to interpret the facts, the response of federal agents, and the implications for public safety and law enforcement accountability.
