WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Nearly 100 people gathered Monday evening outside the VA hospital in West Palm Beach for a candlelight vigil honoring Alex Pretti, a Minnesota VA ICU nurse who was shot and killed by ICE agents during an anti-ICE protest, organizers said.
The vigil, organized by the local chapter of the American Federation of Government Employees — Pretti’s union — included candles, flowers and a makeshift memorial set up along the sidewalk outside the hospital. Demonstrators said they came together in grief and solidarity, though tensions briefly flared when a counterprotester entered the crowd.
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As the sun set, demonstrators chanted and held candles in silence, reflecting anger and heartbreak over Pretti’s death, which has sparked protests nationwide, including here in South Florida.
“My feeling is heartbroken,” said Cody Tribble, a medical support assistant with the VA and vice president of the union chapter.
Tribble described Pretti as a caregiver who dedicated his life to helping others.
“He didn’t deserve to die,” Tribble said. “More importantly, as an ICU nurse of the VA, he was used to taking care of people. He was doing what he was trained to do, and he didn’t deserve to die for that.”
During the vigil, a counterprotester moved through the crowd, at one point slapping a phone out of the hands of demonstrator Napoleon Calderon. Police quickly intervened and took the man into custody. Riviera Beach Police tell us the man was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct.
Calderon, the son of undocumented immigrants from Mexico, said he chose not to press charges.
“I didn’t press charges on him,” Calderon said. “He’s safe. He’s not here. We don’t want needless violence, needless bloodshed. We want peace and love and tranquility.”
Tribble witnessed the confrontation and stepped in to help de-escalate the situation, adding that it reflected the values Pretti stood for.
“Even when people come to us and they don’t agree with the reason that we’re gathering, they should be allowed to be there, just like we are allowed to be there,” Tribble said. “We don’t have to fight about our sides.”
Later, another counterprotester engaged demonstrators in a conversation that ended with a moment of compromise, as the two sides shook hands across a fence.
“All people deserve love,” one demonstrator said during the exchange.
The vigil ended peacefully, with organizers emphasizing unity, free expression and honoring Pretti’s life and legacy.
