Poli Alert Politics & Civics
Related Articles
Two federal officers fired their weapons during the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis last month, according to a preliminary Department of Homeland Security review that was sent to congressional committees this week.
The internal report, produced by U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility, says a Border Patrol agent and a Customs and Border Protection officer both discharged their firearms during the Jan. 24 encounter. It does not state whether bullets from both weapons struck Pretti.
The report was transmitted Tuesday to the House Homeland Security and Judiciary committees, according to three sources familiar with the matter.
According to the review, an officer repeatedly shouted “He’s got a gun!” during a struggle with Pretti. Approximately five seconds later, a Border Patrol agent fired a CBP-issued Glock 19 and a CBP officer fired a Glock 47.
The report makes no mention of Pretti attacking officers or brandishing a weapon — assertions that Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem made publicly in the hours following the shooting.
Video evidence and weapon recovery
Multiple eyewitness videos show Pretti did not appear to be holding a weapon during the struggle as he was surrounded by federal agents. One video shows an officer removing a gun from Pretti’s waist area moments before shots were fired.
The report states that after the shooting, a Border Patrol agent said he had possession of Pretti’s firearm, which was then secured in his vehicle.
A federal judge on Sunday ordered the Trump administration to refrain from “destroying or altering evidence” after state investigators were denied access to the crime scene.
CBP said the preliminary findings were based on agency documents and body-camera footage from officers involved.
Operation Metro Surge
According to the report, officers were conducting enforcement actions as part of Operation Metro Surge near Nicollet Avenue and 25th Street in south Minneapolis.
The operation has deployed roughly 3,000 federal officers and agents to Minnesota — far outnumbering the approximately 600 officers in the Minneapolis Police Department — as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown and an effort federal officials say targets fraud and corruption.
The surge has drawn sharp local opposition, particularly after another federal officer shot and killed Renee Good on Jan. 7 while she was sitting in her car.
The report describes a tense scene in which civilians were “yelling and blowing whistles,” prompting officers to repeatedly order people to remain on sidewalks and out of the roadway.
An officer was then “confronted” by two women who did not comply, the report says. After pushing them back, one of the women ran toward a man identified as Pretti.
The officer attempted to move both individuals from the road and deployed pepper spray, according to the report. Officers then tried to take Pretti into custody.
“Pretti resisted CBP personnel’s efforts and a struggle ensued,” the report said. “During the struggle, a BPA yelled, ‘He’s got a gun!’ multiple times.”
Seconds later, both officers fired.
Medical response and death
At 9:02 a.m., CBP personnel cut Pretti’s clothing and administered first aid, including applying chest seals, the report said. Minneapolis fire medics arrived two minutes later.
Pretti was pronounced dead at Hennepin County Medical Center at approximately 9:32 a.m.
White House response and backlash
Homeland Security adviser Stephen Miller said Tuesday that DHS’s initial public statement — which claimed Pretti sought to “do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement” — was based on reports from CBP personnel at the scene.
Miller said the White House had instructed DHS to use additional personnel in Minnesota primarily for “force protection” to create a buffer between officers and protesters.
“We are evaluating why the CBP team may not have been following that protocol,” Miller said.
A DHS spokesperson echoed that assessment, saying early accounts came from a “very chaotic scene” and emphasizing that the investigation remains ongoing.
Miller’s comments prompted backlash, including criticism from some Republicans, as scrutiny of the Minnesota operation intensified.
Asked Tuesday about staff characterizing Pretti as a “domestic terrorist,” Trump said he was unaware of that language.
“I haven’t heard that,” Trump told reporters. “But certainly he shouldn’t have been carrying a gun.”
Ongoing investigations
Both DHS and CBP are continuing investigations into the shooting, and the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office has not yet released autopsy results.
A CBP spokesperson said the report was released under standard procedures and should not be viewed as a final determination.
“These reports provide an initial outline of an event and do not convey any definitive conclusions,” the spokesperson said. “They are factual reports — not analytical judgments — and are provided to inform Congress and promote transparency.”
CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility investigates allegations of criminal conduct, serious misconduct and mismanagement.
