MINNEAPOLIS — A fatal shooting involving federal immigration officers during a large-scale enforcement operation in Minneapolis has sparked legal challenges and protests, as authorities investigate how the encounter unfolded.
The shooting occurred on Jan. 24 during a federal immigration enforcement action, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The man who was fatally shot during the encounter was identified by family members as Alex Pretti, 37, a local ICU nurse.
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A DHS spokesperson said officers fired “defensive shots” after a man approached with a handgun and “violently resisted” efforts to disarm him. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Pretti was believed to be a lawful gun owner with a valid permit to carry.
Federal officials identified the agent who fired as an eight-year Border Patrol veteran.
The shooting took place amid a stepped-up federal immigration enforcement effort in Minnesota that is now the subject of multiple court proceedings and public statements by state, local and federal officials.
Below is a summary of key developments since the shooting.
Trump comments following shooting
President Donald Trump weighed in on social media, criticizing state and city officials and questioning the response from local law enforcement. He also shared an image of the firearm DHS says was recovered at the scene.
In a post on Truth Social, Trump urged lawmakers to “immediately pass Legislation to END Sanctuary Cities” and called on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other Democratic leaders “to formally cooperate with the Trump Administration to enforce our Nation’s Laws, rather than resist and stoke the flames of Division, Chaos, and Violence,” Politico reported.
In his post, Trump demanded that state and local leaders turn over all unauthorized immigrants with active warrants or criminal records, including those in custody, for immediate deportation. He also called for full cooperation with federal agents conducting operations in sanctuary jurisdictions.
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While Minnesota has not formally declared itself a sanctuary state, the Justice Department listed it as such in August. Several cities and counties in the state, including Minneapolis, restrict local cooperation with federal immigration enforcement.
DHS to handle shooting investigation, Trump sends border czar to Minneapolis
Trump, speaking on Jan. 26, said the administration is reviewing the shooting and has dispatched border czar Tom Homan to assess the situation, CBS News reported.
“We’re reviewing everything and will come out with a determination,” Trump told The Wall Street Journal.
The investigation is being led by Homeland Security Investigations, with support from the FBI, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is also conducting an internal administrative review through its Office of Professional Responsibility, CBS reported.
Court hearings related to Minnesota ICE operation
A federal judge is hearing arguments on Jan. 26 on whether to temporarily block Operation Metro Surge in light of the deaths of Alex Pretti and Renee Good, The National News Desk reported.
The case, brought by the State of Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul the large-scale immigration crackdown launched in December, according to the report.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, who is attending the hearing, called the scale and tactics of the operation “unprecedented” and described it as a “novel abuse of the Constitution.”
The lawsuit asks U.S. District Judge Katherine Menendez to restore federal immigration enforcement levels in Minnesota to pre-surge numbers and limit the scope of operations. The Justice Department has moved to dismiss the request, calling it “legally frivolous” and arguing that Minnesota is trying to “veto federal law enforcement.”
In a separate case on Jan. 16, Menendez ruled that federal officers in the state can’t detain or use tear gas on peaceful protesters who aren’t obstructing authorities, according to the report. An appeals court temporarily suspended that ruling.
Meanwhile, a second federal hearing will be held on Jan. 26 in a separate case concerning the shooting of Alex Pretti. In that matter, Judge Eric Tostrud issued a temporary order on Jan. 24 barring federal officials from destroying or altering evidence, including bodycam footage and forensic material.
Protester accused of attacking officer after fatal shooting
During a press conference on Jan. 25, U.S. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino said chaos erupted after agents fatally shot Alex Jeffrey Pretti, FOX reported.
”As federal agents attempted to control the crowd, a protester tackled an ICE special agent and allegedly bit off part of the officer’s finger, officials said. The agent received emergency treatment and was taken to a hospital. The injury is described as permanent.
“The officer is recovering but has lost part of his finger,” said Marcos Charles, Executive Assistant Director for ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations.
Officials blamed local political leadership and protesters for escalating tensions and interfering with law enforcement duties. They warned of a rising trend of violence directed at federal agents amid ongoing immigration operations.
Arrests following protest at hotel alleged to be housing federal agents
Multiple people were arrested overnight after protesters clashed with federal agents outside a Minneapolis hotel believed to be housing immigration officers, FOX reported.
Tensions escalated late on Jan. 25 outside the Home2 Suites Hotel on University Avenue, where demonstrators gathered after the shooting of Pretti. Protesters accused agents of using excessive force.
Protesters blew whistles, rang bells and attempted to force open the front doors, according to the report. At one point, individuals used a shovel to remove the hotel placard, while others threw snowballs at security personnel.
Federal agents deployed tear gas and flashbangs in an effort to disperse the crowd. Authorities stated that some arrests were made as protesters were being pushed back from the entrance.
The Minnesota Department of Public Safety said arrests were justified due to property damage and described the protests as “not peaceful.” In a statement on X, the department noted that Minnesota State Patrol and the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) initially assisted Minneapolis police in responding to the situation.
DHS, local officials call for calm
A senior Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) official is urging demonstrators in Minnesota to keep protests peaceful amid growing unrest, FOX reported.
Speaking on Fox & Friends Weekend on Jan. 25, Sam Olson, ICE’s field office director in St. Paul, acknowledged the right of the public to monitor federal operations but warned against interfering with active enforcement actions.
“We have no problem with the public watching what we do, filming what we do, talking to us while we do it,” Olson said. “But there is that line… when they start to impede and get in situations where, frankly, we don’t want them to be, we can’t have them to be, kind of in our workspace. That’s when we have issues.”
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara also appealed for calm, both from the public and from federal law enforcement.
“Our demand today is for those federal agencies that are operating in our city to do so with the same discipline, humanity and integrity that effective law enforcement in this country demands,” the chief said. “We urge everyone to remain peaceful.”
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