Two U.S. Customs and Border Protection Border Patrol agents involved in the fatal shooting of Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti have been placed on administrative leave, the Department of Homeland Security confirmed Wednesday. Pretti, a 37-year-old U.S. citizen and intensive care unit nurse, was killed during a federal immigration enforcement operation on January 24.
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DHS said the administrative leave is standard procedure following any officer-involved shooting and should not be interpreted as an admission of wrongdoing. The announcement comes as scrutiny of the incident intensifies and public calls for transparency continue to grow in Minneapolis and beyond.
According to NBC News, a preliminary report from Customs and Border Protection’s Office of Professional Responsibility was delivered Tuesday to multiple congressional committees, including the House Homeland Security and Judiciary committees. The report states that during the encounter, an officer repeatedly shouted “He’s got a gun,” and roughly five seconds later, a Border Patrol agent fired a Glock 19 while a CBP officer fired a Glock 47.
The report does not specify whether both agents struck Pretti but confirms that a Border Patrol agent later took possession of Pretti’s firearm. It remains unclear at what point the weapon was recovered during the encounter.
Investigators said the incident began when agents attempted to move two women out of a roadway during enforcement operations. After one woman ran to Pretti, officers ordered both individuals to leave the area. When they did not comply, a CBP officer used oleoresin capsicum spray, and agents then attempted to take Pretti into custody, at which point a physical struggle ensued.
Pretti’s death marks the second fatal shooting involving federal immigration agents in Minneapolis in recent weeks, following the killing of 37-year-old Renée Good earlier this month. The shootings have sparked protests and prompted Minnesota officials, including Mayor Jacob Frey and Governor Tim Walz, to demand the release of body camera footage and additional evidence as investigations continue.[/read]