Medical examiner rules Alex Pretti’s death a homicide in Minneapolis Border Patrol shooting
Hennepin County Medical Examiner has ruled 37‑year‑old Alex Pretti’s death a homicide, listing the cause as "multiple gunshot wounds" and noting he was shot by law‑enforcement officers after Border Patrol/CBP agents fired near 26th & Nicollet in south Minneapolis. The killing — disputed by family and bystander videos, now the subject of a DOJ civil‑rights probe and a state review, a federal‑evidence preservation lawsuit, and public protests met with chemical crowd control — has intensified clashes between local officials and federal agencies over Operation Metro Surge and use of force.
📌 Key Facts
- The Hennepin County Medical Examiner has ruled Alex Pretti’s death a homicide, listing the cause as multiple gunshot wounds and noting he was shot by law‑enforcement officer(s); the ME likewise ruled the Jan. 7 killing of Renee Good a homicide.
- Victim identification and background: 37‑year‑old Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti was an ICU nurse employed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, a member of AFGE, an avid outdoorsman and protest participant; family say he had a valid Minnesota carry permit and owned at least one semiautomatic handgun. A memorial formed at 26th & Nicollet where he was shot.
- Government records identify Border Patrol Agent Jesus Ochoa and CBP Officer Raymundo Gutierrez as the two federal officers who fired the shots that killed Pretti; CBP had previously only acknowledged that two agents fired without naming them.
- The Department of Justice has opened a formal civil‑rights investigation (led by Homeland Security Investigations with FBI support) into the Pretti shooting while Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty and Minnesota officials say they are reviewing the case for possible local criminal charges.
- State and local officials have filed a lawsuit seeking a court order that DHS, ICE and CBP preserve and not alter any evidence in the Pretti and Good cases; DOJ has pushed back, arguing many preservation demands are unprecedented and invoking federal‑supremacy and investigative‑privilege claims, leaving judges to weigh how far they can regulate federal evidence practices.
- Multiple surveillance and bystander videos circulated after the shooting show sequences that appear to contradict federal accounts — including moments where Pretti seems disarmed, on the ground, or not actively pointing a gun when shots are fired — fueling public skepticism and expected to be central to civil‑rights litigation and official reviews.
- Immediate public reaction included protesters gathering at the scene, federal officers deploying chemical irritants and aggressive crowd‑control tactics, and at least one detention; officials and activists have framed the killing as part of a pattern tied to the Trump administration’s 'Operation Metro Surge,' with this incident being at least the third federal‑agent shooting in Minneapolis in recent weeks.
- Reporting highlights contradictions and evolving official accounts (an early leak said a leg wound; later reporting and the ME show chest wounds and death), and DHS investigators are probing whether a federal agent accidentally discharged Pretti’s own Sig Sauer after being disarmed, potentially triggering return fire — a scenario under investigation that further complicates the official narrative.
📊 Relevant Data
Since September 2025, there have been at least 13 shootings by Department of Homeland Security agents during immigration enforcement operations in the United States.
Trump's DHS has shot 13 people during immigration enforcement operations since September 2025 — NBC News
Venezuelan immigrants in the United States have an incarceration rate of 241 per 100,000, which is lower than the incarceration rate for U.S.-born individuals at approximately 1,200 per 100,000.
Illegal Immigrant Incarceration Rates, 2010–2023 — Cato Institute
The migration of Venezuelans to the United States from 2020 to 2026 has been driven primarily by Venezuela's political instability, economic collapse, and humanitarian crises, with over 831,000 Venezuelan encounters at the U.S.-Mexico border since 2020.
U.S.-Mexico Border Update: Venezuelan Migration, Notes from Mexico, Border Barriers — Washington Office on Latin America
Immigrants, including Venezuelans, contribute approximately $26 billion annually to Minnesota's economy through labor force participation and business ownership.
Economist: Immigrants contribute $26 billion to Minnesota's economy — Minnesota Public Radio
Operation Metro Surge, launched in December 2025, resulted in over 4,000 arrests of individuals targeted for immigration enforcement in Minnesota, focusing on criminal noncitizens.
New Milestone in Operation Metro Surge: 4,000+ Criminal Illegals Removed from Minnesota Streets — The White House
Historical precedents for federal agent shootings in immigration-related protests include incidents during the second Trump administration, with at least 29 shootings by U.S. immigration agents identified since 2025.
US immigration agents shot at people 16 times under Trump's second administration – report — The Guardian
Venezuelan immigrants commit crimes at substantially lower rates than the native-born population in the United States, based on 2019-2023 data analysis.
Venezuelan Migration, Crime, and Misperceptions — Brookings Institution
📰 Source Timeline (14)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time
February 12, 2026
9:05 PM
US senators denounce immigration agents’ use of force in deadly Minneapolis shootings
New information:
- U.S. senators are now publicly condemning immigration agents’ use of force in the Minneapolis shootings that killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti.
- Senators are specifically questioning DHS, ICE and Border Patrol narratives about the shootings and raising concerns about tactics used under Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis.
- The article describes how Senate criticism is feeding calls for independent investigations and tighter limits on use of force and crowd‑control tactics by federal agents in Twin Cities neighborhoods.
February 02, 2026
8:05 PM
Alex Pretti's death ruled a homicide after Border Patrol shooting in Minneapolis
New information:
- Hennepin County Medical Examiner has formally ruled Alex Pretti’s death a homicide.
- The cause of death is listed as 'multiple gunshot wounds' and notes he was 'shot by law enforcement officer(s).'
- The medical examiner likewise ruled the Jan. 7 ICE killing of Renee Good a homicide, underscoring both federal shootings fall under the same manner-of-death classification.
1:14 AM
Two CBP agents identified in Alex Pretti shooting
New information:
- Confirms the identities of the two CBP personnel who fired at Alex Pretti by name and position, beyond generic references to a Border Patrol agent and a CBP officer.
- Adds detail on their specific roles and assignments within CBP at the time of the shooting, which goes beyond prior references that only said two officers fired Glocks.
- Clarifies how those names surfaced (through government records obtained by the Reformer), tightening the evidentiary chain that advocacy groups and civil litigants can rely on.
February 01, 2026
10:51 PM
Alex Pretti shooting: Federal officers who fired shots identified in records: report
New information:
- ProPublica, citing government records, identifies Border Patrol Agent Jesus Ochoa and CBP Officer Raymundo Gutierrez as the two federal officers who fired the shots that killed Alex Pretti at 26th & Nicollet.
- Customs and Border Protection had previously told Congress only that two agents fired, without naming them; their identities were being withheld from both Congress and state/local investigators until this leak.
- Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche has confirmed DOJ has opened a formal civil-rights investigation into the Pretti shooting, with Homeland Security Investigations leading the review and the FBI supporting.
- As part of that federal probe, DHS is examining whether a federal agent accidentally discharged Pretti’s own Sig Sauer after disarming him, possibly triggering a chain reaction in which other agents believed they were under fire and opened up — a scenario first reported in detail by the New York Post and now acknowledged as under investigation.
- Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty reiterates she expects to have enough evidence soon to make a local charging decision, underscoring that a state prosecution is still on the table alongside the DOJ civil-rights review.
- ProPublica explicitly defends publishing the agents’ names, arguing CBP’s secrecy breaks with standard law-enforcement practice after public shootings and deprives the public of a basic accountability tool.
January 27, 2026
5:36 AM
‘Nothing about what is going on here is normal’: A fight over evidence in Good, Pretti cases
New information:
- Clarifies that the state and local plaintiffs are seeking a broad, case‑consolidated preservation framework covering both Good and Pretti, not just a one‑off order in Pretti’s case.
- Reports DOJ’s position that many of the detailed preservation and access demands (including third‑party escrow/control of evidence) are unprecedented and would interfere with ongoing criminal investigations and officer safety.
- Introduces new legal arguments about federal supremacy and investigative privilege that DOJ is raising to try to limit Minnesota’s ability to dictate how DHS handles its own records.
- Highlights that judges are openly wrestling with how much authority they have to micromanage DHS’s evidence practices while Metro Surge is still underway, and that whatever they decide here could set a template for future federal‑state clashes over ICE shootings.
- Notes that civil‑rights and defense lawyers see this as a test of whether state and local actors can force some sunlight into a federal killing when the feds are the ones holding the file cabinets.
January 25, 2026
2:57 AM
Minneapolis shooting: Lawsuit demands DHS preserve evidence in Alex Pretti's death
New information:
- Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension have jointly filed a civil lawsuit in U.S. District Court seeking a court order barring DHS, ICE and CBP from destroying or altering any evidence in the Alex Pretti shooting.
- The suit names DHS, ICE, Customs and Border Protection and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi as defendants.
- AG Keith Ellison publicly stated, “Federal agents are not above the law and Alex Pretti is certainly not beneath it,” and Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty emphasized that her office asserts jurisdiction to review the case for potential criminal charges against the agents.
1:18 AM
Videos show deadly Minneapolis shooting and political leaders reach different conclusions
New information:
- The article synthesizes multiple surveillance and bystander videos of the Alex Pretti shooting, emphasizing sequences where he appears disarmed, on the ground, or not actively pointing a gun when shots are fired, sharpening the factual dispute with DHS’s narrative.
- It details how different political leaders — notably Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis officials and federal spokespeople — are publicly reaching opposing conclusions from the same video evidence, with locals calling the shooting unjustified and DHS framing it as necessary force against an armed threat.
- The story underscores that these videos are expected to be central evidence in civil‑rights litigation and official investigations, and notes growing public skepticism online as residents circulate clips that appear to contradict federal characterizations.
12:44 AM
Minneapolis shooting: What we know about Alex Pretti, the man killed by Border Patrol agent
New information:
- Confirms the victim’s full name as 37‑year‑old Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen with only traffic violations on his record and a valid Minnesota permit to carry.
- Details that Pretti was an ICU nurse employed by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, a member of AFGE Local 3669, and is being publicly mourned by AFGE Local 704, which labeled the shooting his 'murder' and praised his service to veterans.
- Adds personal background: graduate of the University of Minnesota’s College of Liberal Arts (2011), avid outdoorsman and competitive cyclist, deeply engaged in protests against ICE and prior police violence, including demonstrations after George Floyd’s murder.
- Includes interviews with his father, mother and ex‑wife describing his politics (Democratic voter), history of protest participation, and the fact he obtained a carry permit and at least one semiautomatic handgun about three years ago.
- Shows that a memorial is forming at 26th & Nicollet, with community members gathering at the shooting site.
January 24, 2026
8:40 PM
The man killed by a US Border Patrol officer in Minneapolis was an ICU nurse, family says
New information:
- The man killed by a U.S. Border Patrol officer in south Minneapolis is identified by family as an ICU nurse who worked in critical care.
- Family members provide biographical details and describe his professional and personal life, including his role supporting patients and relatives.
- Relatives challenge aspects of the federal account of the shooting, adding their description of what kind of person he was and why he was in the area.
7:06 PM
Minneapolis shooting today: Reaction pours in after man killed by border agent
New information:
- Confirms the latest killing involved a Border Patrol agent, not ICE, though protests and political reaction are still focused on ICE’s presence.
- Documents on‑record responses from Gov. Tim Walz, Rep. Ilhan Omar, Sen. Amy Klobuchar, NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Trump adviser Stephen Miller.
- Elevates public framing that this is the third Minneapolis killing by federal agents since Renee Good was shot Jan. 7 and explicitly ties it to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
- Carries a Border Patrol Union statement asserting agents are 'trained extremely well' and framing the incident as a response to a 'supposed peaceful protester' brandishing a loaded handgun.
5:23 PM
Another person in Minneapolis shot and killed by feds
New information:
- Confirms this latest killing is at least the third time in a matter of weeks that federal officers have shot someone in Minneapolis under Operation Metro Surge.
- Details contradictions between early federal leaks (leg wound) and subsequent reporting indicating the man was shot in the chest and died, underscoring reliability issues in official accounts.
- Places the shooting explicitly in the pattern of prior federal shootings (Renee Good and a north‑side case) and explains that it further escalates calls for independent investigations, with local officials and civil‑rights groups saying the surge is out of control.
- Reports that protest response after this shooting again involved chemical agents and aggressive crowd control, deepening fears among residents and adding fuel to lawsuits and impeachment calls targeting DHS Secretary Kristi Noem.
4:55 PM
LIVE UPDATES | Minneapolis shooting: Federal agents fatally shoot man Saturday morning
New information:
- Confirms federal agents (reported as Border Patrol via FOX reporting) fatally shot a man Saturday morning in Minneapolis, making this the third federal-agent shooting in the city since Renee Good was killed Jan. 7.
- Pins the location to the 26th–28th Street West and Nicollet Avenue South area and reports the man was shot in the chest and has died, per FOX 9 sources.
- Reports that protesters quickly gathered at the scene and that federal officers deployed chemical irritants on the crowd; at least one man was detained during the protest.
- Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty says her office is coordinating with the Minnesota BCA and publicly demands that federal authorities allow the BCA to process the scene.
- The City of Minneapolis has scheduled an 11:30 a.m. briefing with Mayor Jacob Frey, Chief Brian O’Hara and Emergency Management Director Rachel Sayre, and Frey again publicly calls for ICE to leave Minnesota.
January 15, 2026
3:10 AM
Federal officer shoots person in leg after being attacked during Minneapolis arrest, AP source says
New information:
- AP, citing a federal law‑enforcement source, reports a federal officer shot a person in the leg during an arrest in Minneapolis.
- The AP account corroborates earlier local reporting that this was a federal use‑of‑force incident, not MPD or another local agency.
- The piece reinforces that this shooting is separate from, but follows, the ICE killing of Renee Good amid Operation Metro Surge.