The family of Alex Pretti says one critical item from the scene of his fatal shooting remains beyond their reach: his cellphone, which was seized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and has not been returned or made accessible to them.

According to relatives, Pretti was seen using his phone multiple times in the moments leading up to the confrontation with federal agents in Minneapolis. Witnesses at the scene have told family members that he appeared to be recording, messaging, or documenting what was unfolding around him as tensions escalated.

Pretti’s sister has since said she believes the phone contains important, possibly revealing material, including messages, photos, or videos that could clarify his actions and state of mind in the final minutes of his life. She has described the device as holding “many things he didn’t share with anyone,” raising questions about what evidence may exist beyond official accounts.

Despite repeated requests, the family says they have not been allowed to review the phone’s contents or receive a clear explanation about when — or if — that access will be granted. Legal advocates following the case argue that the delay has only deepened mistrust, particularly as the phone could provide a firsthand record from Pretti himself.

The unresolved status of the device has become a growing point of concern as investigators continue to reconstruct the events that led to his death. Supporters of the family say that whatever is stored on the phone could either confirm official narratives or complicate them, making transparency essential.

As calls for an independent investigation intensify, Pretti’s cellphone — silent, unseen, and still in government custody — has emerged as one of the most significant unanswered questions in a case already marked by controversy, conflicting accounts, and mounting public scrutiny.

For the family, the issue is not only legal but deeply personal. “That phone,” one relative said quietly, “is the last place Alex may have spoken for himself.”