Steelers Legend Ben Roethlisberger Speaks Out On Alex Pretti Case: 'If A Nurse Trying To Help Can Be Killed, Who's Next?'

MINNEAPOLIS 

In a powerful and widely shared statement that has reverberated far beyond the gridiron, Steelers legend and Pro Football Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger has stepped into the public debate surrounding the tragic killing of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse who was fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis earlier this year.

Pretti, a dedicated intensive care nurse who worked for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, was shot multiple times and killed by United States Customs and Border Protection officers during a January 24 immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis — an incident that quickly became a flashpoint in national discussions about use of force, public safety, and accountability.

Roethlisberger didn’t mince words in his remarks:

“If a nurse who was trying to help can be killed, then who will be next?!”

His message — delivered through social media and shared by allied community leaders — strikes at the heart of broader societal concerns that have emerged in the wake of Pretti’s death: fear, power, and how swiftly an ordinary moment can transform into irreversible tragedy.

Pretti’s killing occurred amid heightened tension in Minneapolis, following other shootings by federal immigration agents that had already ignited protests and public outcry. Videos from the scene, reviewed by media outlets, showed Pretti standing among civilians — at times holding only his phone — moments before he was shot, raising questions about how the situation escalated and whether force was justified.

For many residents, this incident isn’t viewed in isolation. What began as a law enforcement engagement quickly evolved into a symbol of fractured trust between ordinary citizens and those sworn to protect them. Neighbors and advocates have held vigils, shared personal grief, and called for transparent investigations, arguing that Pretti’s death touches something deeper than a single tragic event.

Roethlisberger’s intervention adds a voice of national prominence to that conversation. As a figure respected in and out of the sporting world, his remarks underscore the emotional rupture felt by countless individuals — especially in communities where questions of safety and accountability have become daily concerns.

As the fallout continues and investigations unfold, many see Pretti’s death as not only a personal loss but a moment that has amplified urgent debates about authority, civilian safety, and the human cost when that trust is broken.