New details released in Alex Pretti shooting amid federal immigration leadership changes
A government report obtained by CBS News reveals more details in the killing of Alex Pretti, confirming that two federal agents fired their weapons.
The details come a day after the demotion of Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino and his expected departure from Minnesota. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem also faces internal scrutiny, sources tell CBS News.
Noem is expected to keep her job, but sources said she was at the White House Monday, facing questions about her department's handling of and response to the killing of Alex Pretti. Her focus is expected to shift from interior enforcement operations to securing the southern border and other priorities.
The shifts in DHS also come after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey had conversations with President Trump about ways to scale down the federal immigration operation.
What to know about the Alex Pretti shooting and fallout:
- Two U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents fired their weapons during the fatal shooting of Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti over the weekend, according to a government report sent to Congress and obtained by CBS News that does not mention Pretti reaching for his firearm.
- President Trump said on social media Monday that he is sending border czar Tom Homan to Minnesota. Gov. Tim Walz's office has since confirmed that Walz and Homan have met, and that they "agreed on the need for an ongoing dialogue." Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also met with Homan to discuss next steps.
- Multiple sources with direct knowledge of the situation told CBS News some at the Department of Homeland Security are increasingly concerned about the agency's reputation.
- A group of activists is calling on people across the U.S. to participate in a "National Shutdown" on Friday to protest U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
- Minnesota officials said Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry. He had no criminal record.
- Two U.S. officials tell CBS News some of the Border Patrol agents involved in the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis had body cameras.
- Videos from the scene verified by CBS News show that Pretti was holding a phone in his right hand, and nothing in his left, before he was shot. Multiple videos also show a federal agent in a gray jacket reaching into the scuffle empty-handed and emerging with a gun in his right hand, turning away from the man when the first shot is fired, then running across the street as more shots are fired.
Former ATF special agent breaks down new details in shooting
Scott Sweetow, a former ATF special agent in charge in St. Paul and a firearms instructor, breaks down new details revealed by a government report about the killing of Alex Pretti.
There is no mention in the report of Pretti brandishing his gun before the shooting. Slowed-down video of the incident shows another agent had already taken possession of Pretti's gun.
"Then that leaves a problem of whether your fellow officers knows that person has been disarmed or if they're reacting to the last thing they heard. It also creates a chance that there's going to be a use of deadly force," Sweetow said.
Sweetow says following a use of deadly force, agents should be on leave for at least 3 days. It's often longer. Federal Officials have said they're still on the job.
"That's both to protect the agency, to protect the person and frankly to protect the public from someone who may really be rattled when they're out there because they've had to use deadly force and you don't want them back out there engaging in a situation where they could use deadly force again," Sweetow said.
During a federal investigation, he says agents' guns are surrendered. There may be a new one issued and statements are given by everyone on the scene.
"It could be as simple as, 'This is what I saw, heard, felt, smelled. This is what I perceived. I drew my weapon, I fired it. I don't know how many rounds.'" Sweetow said.
He says evidence collected on the scene, including any bullets and casings, plus the autopsy, will be critical in any investigation.
"They're going to want to get the guns, they're going to want to see if those guns were fired," Sweetow said.
That includes Pretti's gun, which the notice says was secured in an agent's vehicle on scene.
Sweetow's recommendation is also to bring local or state agencies into an investigation. He says it builds confidence and trust with the public, no matter how large or small their role is.
Minneapolis police racked up $3M in overtime in 12 days
Minneapolis police officers worked $3 million in overtime in just 12 days during Operation Metro Surge, the federal immigration enforcement operation that has sent 3,000 agents to Minnesota.
From Jan. 7 — the day an ICE officer shot and killed Renee Good in Minneapolis — to Jan. 9, officers worked a cumulative 3,000 extra hours for which they are paid at 1.5 times the rate of their regular wage, according to court documents. The estimated overtime cost for the four-day period after that shooting was $2 million.
But by Jan. 18, the overtime costs for the department climbed to $3 million, a city spokesperson told WCCO News. That's before Minneapolis police responded to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent this past weekend, so overtime is likely to increase. That data is not available yet.
LULAC joins NAACP in Minneapolis to call for federal accountability in Operation Metro Surge
The League of United and Latin American Citizens, the nation's largest and oldest Latino civil rights group, is in Minneapolis Tuesday with heavy hearts and clear purpose amid Operation Metro Surge.
"We have seen in Minneapolis the last few weeks, and across the nation, an escalation of tactics that resulted in the loss of life, fear in neighborhoods and deep divisions," said Roman Palomares, the league's national president. "Videos and multiple eyewitness accounts have raised serious questions about official narratives and practices. That is why LULAC demands an independent, transparent investigation. We want clear accountability in policies that ensure enforcement is consistent with constitutional protections."
The civil rights group also wants an investigation into what is happening in immigration detention centers.
"It is our understanding that at least six to 10 individuals have passed away in our detention centers, and most of them are Latinos," Palomares said.
One of Alex Pretti's final ICU patients says terrorism accusations "broke my heart"
Alex Pretti, the man fatally shot Saturday by Border Patrol officers, was a nurse at the Minneapolis VA hospital, where he worked with the sickest of the sick in the ICU.
And as his ICU co-workers grieve, so do his patients, like Marta Crownheart.
"I had a real bad day and he sat in my room for a little over 20 minutes, holding my hand, talking to me, letting me know things were gonna be OK," Crownheart said. "He prayed with me and let me know I was gonna be OK."
Crownheart thought she had had a stroke, then Pretti delivered her good news.
"And when Alex found out I didn't have a stroke, he came right away and let me know that I didn't, and he calmed me and he treated me like I was his only patient," she said. "And I knew I wasn't, and he treated every vet like they were his only patient."
Report: 2 federal agents fired their weapons during Alex Pretti shooting
Two U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents fired their weapons during the fatal shooting of Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti over the weekend, according to a government report sent to Congress and obtained by CBS News that does not mention Pretti reaching for his firearm.
The report was shared with congressional officials Tuesday by CBP, which said it was based on a "preliminary review" by its Office of Professional Responsibility. It provides the most comprehensive official account yet of Pretti's killing, which has triggered widespread outcry from members of both parties.
According to the report to Congress, CBP agents were conducting an operation in Minneapolis on Saturday morning when an officer was "confronted by two female civilians blowing whistles." The officer ordered the women to "move out of the roadway," the report said. That's when CBP agents first encountered Pretti.
"The [CBP officer] pushed them both away and one of the females ran to a male, later identified as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a US citizen," the report said. "The [CBP officer] attempted to move the woman and Pretti out of the roadway. The woman and Pretti did not move. The [CBP officer] deployed his oleoresin capsicum (OC) spray towards both Pretti and the woman."
CBP agents then "attempted to take Pretti into custody," according to the report.
"Pretti resisted CBP personnel's efforts and a struggle ensued. During the struggle, a BPA yelled, 'He's got a gun!' multiple times," the report said.
"Approximately five seconds later, a [Border Patrol agent] discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and a [CBP officer] also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti. After the shooting, a BPA advised he had possession of Pretti's firearm," CBP added. "The BPA subsequently cleared and secured Pretti's firearm in his vehicle."
Alex Pretti memorial bike rides planned for nearly 50 locations
The shooting death of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol rocked Minnesota and the world, including at Angry Catfish bike shop in Minneapolis' Standish neighborhood, where Pretti was a customer and member of the local cycling community.
"We broke the news to some customers as they were coming in, and the mood shifted pretty quickly, from like a normal Saturday to what it is," Jarrod Alder, an employee at Angry Catfish, said.
Angry Catfish has now announced a memorial ride for Pretti set for Saturday. The 1:30 p.m. ride from Washburn Fair Oaks Park will stop at his memorial, his workplace at the VA hospital and Renee Good's memorial.
Between 50 and 1,000 people are expected to take part. Alder expects that number to be on the upper end of that range.
26 arrested at Maple Grove hotel protest
Police in Maple Grove arrested 26 people on Monday night during a protest at the SpringHill Suites hotel.
The protest was declared an unlawful assembly, police said, after protesters damaged property.
Thirteen people were arrested for gross misdemeanor riot and 13 were arrested for unlawful assembly, which is a misdemeanor. Additionally, two of those people face an added charge of obstructing the legal process.
One person is under investigation for property damage but fled the scene, police say.
Minneapolis mayor, police chief meet with border czar
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief Brian O'Hara met Tuesday morning with Border Czar Tom Homan, according to the mayor's office.
The meeting came just hours after Homan met with Gov. Tim Walz.
In a statement Tuesday afternoon, Frey said he "appreciated" the conversation, noting he pressed Homan on the urgent need to end Operation Metro Surge, and stressed the toll its taken on his city's officers, residents and the entire Twin Cities community.
"I also made it clear that Minneapolis does not and will not enforce federal immigration laws, and that we will remain focused on keeping our neighbors and streets safe," Frey said. "City leaders will continue to stay in conversation with Mr. Homan and his team."
Walz said earlier Tuesday he and Homan "agreed on the need for an ongoing dialogue and will continue working toward" goals the governor said he discussed Monday in a phone call with President Trump.
Sources tell WCCO that the meetings between Homan, Walz and Frey were purposefully low profile with no press or pictures as part of an overall effort by local officials and the Trump administration to bring down tensions.
Homan is known as an immigration and deportation hardliner but in an interview earlier this month with CBS News Anchor Tony Dokoupil, he took a more measured response to the Renee Good shooting, which had happened earlier that day.
"It would be unprofessional to comment on what I think happened in that situation. Let the investigation play out and hold people accountable based on the investigation," he said on Jan. 7.
Judge blocks ICE from deporting or transferring 5-year-old boy and his father
A federal judge has blocked ICE from deporting 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos and his father or transferring them away from the Texas region where they're currently held.
Liam and his father were taken into custody in Minnesota earlier this month as part of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation captured on videos and photos that went viral and sparked outrage.
Liam and his father are currently detained at the Dilley ICE detention center for families with underage children.
We exclusively reported last week that the government could not legally deport the family for now, because they have pending immigration court cases.
The Columbia Heights Public School District says 5-year-old Liam Ramos was taken with his father while in their driveway after just arriving home from his preschool classroom. School officials claimed the child was used by agents to knock on the door and ask to be let in, letting officers see if anyone else was home.
As community outrage grew, Department of Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin claimed that "ICE did NOT target a child," and said he was instead abandoned by his father. They say his father fled federal agents as they approached his vehicle, leaving the child.
DHS officials allege that the father, whom they described as an illegal immigrant from Ecuador, was taken into custody as other ICE officers stayed with the child.
Border Patrol involved in shooting in Arizona; person in critical condition
A person was in critical condition after a shooting involving the U.S. Border Patrol in Arizona on Tuesday, CBS affiliate KOLD-TV reported.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department said on social media it was responding to the shooting in Arivaca, an unincorporated community about 60 miles south of Tucson, close to the U.S.-Mexico border.
Details are limited.
Heads of ICE, CBP and USCIS set to testify at House hearing on Feb. 10
Leaders of three immigration enforcement agencies are set to testify before the House Homeland Security Committee next month following a pair of deadly shootings by federal agents in Minneapolis, the panel announced on Tuesday.
Chairman Andrew Garbarino, a New York Republican, said that Todd Lyons, the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, had agreed to testify, along with Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Rodney Scott and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow. The hearing is scheduled for Feb. 10.
Jeffries says House Democrats will move to impeach Noem if Trump doesn't fire her
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries said Tuesday that Democrats will move to impeach Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem if she is not fired, marking a shift in how party leadership is handling the effort to confront the Trump administration's immigration crackdown.
"Kristi Noem should be fired immediately, or we will commence impeachment proceedings in the House of Representatives," the New York Democrat said in a statement. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way."
The statement was released with Democratic Whip Katherine Clark of Massachusetts and Democratic Caucus Chair Pete Aguilar of California.
Democratic Rep. Robin Kelly of Illinois introduced an impeachment resolution on Jan. 14, a week after Renee Good was shot and killed by an ICE officer in Minneapolis. The impeachment effort has picked up steam since Border Patrol agents fatally shot Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday.
ICE and CBP would keep operating during a shutdown, despite DHS funding fight
Senate Democrats are threatening to block a package to fund major parts of the government this week, including the Department of Homeland Security, following the deadly shooting of a man by federal agents in Minneapolis.
But a partial government shutdown would likely have little impact on the administration's ongoing immigration enforcement operations, since the relevant DHS agencies received a massive funding infusion in President Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act last year. The immigration enforcement agencies would have the funds to continue operating uninterrupted, even if other parts of the government shut down.
Gov. Tim Walz meets with border czar Tom Homan
Gov. Tim Walz's office confirmed late Tuesday morning that he has met with border czar Tom Homan.
President Trump on Monday announced that Homan will go to Minneapolis following the fatal shooting of ICU nurse Alex Pretti.
"He has not been involved in that area, but knows and likes many of the people there," Mr. Trump said. "Tom is tough but fair, and will report directly to me."
Walz's office released the following statement on the visit with Homan:
"Governor Walz met with Tom Homan this morning and reiterated Minnesota's priorities: impartial investigations into the Minneapolis shootings involving federal agents, a swift, significant reduction in the number of federal forces in Minnesota, and an end to the campaign of retribution against Minnesota.
"The Governor and Homan agreed on the need for an ongoing dialogue and will continue working toward those goals, which the President also agreed to yesterday. The Governor tasked the Minnesota Department of Public Safety as the primary liaison to Homan to ensure these goals are met."
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey also said he will be meeting with Homan to discuss next steps.
Alex Pretti's sister releases statement: "When does this end?"
CBS News obtained the following statement from Alex Pretti's sister, Micayla Pretti:
"Alex was kind, generous, and had a way of lighting up every room he walked into. He was incredibly intelligent and deeply passionate, and he made people feel safe. But most importantly, he was my brother. I had the privilege of being his little sister for 32 years. I will never be able to hug him, laugh with him, or cry to him again because of those thugs—and that is a pain no words can fully capture.
"Alex always wanted to make a difference in this world, and it's devastating that he won't be here to witness the impact he was making. Through his work at the VA caring for the sickest patients, and passion to advance cancer research, he touched more lives than he probably ever realized. All Alex ever wanted was to help someone—anyone. Even in his very last moments on this earth, he was simply trying to do just that.
"I want to thank everyone who has reached out to my family and me, whether you knew Alex personally or not. The messages, posts, and overwhelming positivity shared about him truly reflect his character, work ethic, and passions. My brother is, and always will be, my hero.
"When does this end? How many more innocent lives must be lost before we say enough? Hearing disgusting lies spread about my brother is absolutely gut-wrenching, and my family is deeply grateful so many people have stood up and helped tell his truth. He would be very proud."
Milan mayor calls ICE "a militia that kills," says agents not welcome as part of U.S. Olympic security
The mayor of Milan, Giuseppe Sala, spoke out Tuesday amid reports that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents would have a security role during the upcoming Winter Olympic Games, which are set to begin in Milan on Feb. 6.
"This is a militia that kills," Sala said in an interview with Italian media. "It's a militia that enters people's homes by signing permits for themselves. … It's clear that they're not welcome in Milan, there's no doubt about that."
Minnesota judge orders ICE chief to appear in court, warns of possible contempt proceedings
The chief judge of the U.S. District Court in Minnesota ordered the acting head of Immigration and Customs Enforcement to appear in his courtroom in-person on Friday and explain why he should not be held in contempt of court for violating an earlier order.
Judge Patrick Schiltz wrote in a brief three-page order that the Trump administration has failed to comply with "dozens" of court orders in recent weeks, which has resulted in "significant hardship" to immigrants who have been arrested and detained as part of Operation Metro Surge.
Georgia Sen. Warnock to visit Alex Pretti memorial, meet with faith leaders
Georgia Sen. Raphael Warnock plans to travel to Minneapolis Tuesday to visit a memorial for Alex Pretti and meet with faith leaders, CBS News has confirmed. The trip comes days after Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse at the Department of Veterans Affairs, was shot and killed Saturday in south Minneapolis by a U.S. Border Patrol agent.
Federal judge again declines to grant restraining order against DHS in Minnesota
A federal judge on Monday declined to issue a decision in Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison's bid to end to Operation Metro Surge.
The state of Minnesota and the cities of Minneapolis and St. Paul are seeking a temporary restraining order in their lawsuit against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and other Trump administration officials, arguing the influx of thousands of immigration agents to the state has caused "tremendous damage."
Tricia McLaughlin, U.S. Department of Homeland Security's assistant secretary, previously called the suit "baseless."
Judge Kate Menendez, an appointee of former President Joe Biden, said at the end of Monday's hearing she is going to take the time "to do everything I can to get it right" on whatever final decision she makes.
Sales surge at Minneapolis bookstore after resonating photo of owner at protest
Greg Ketter has spent nearly five decades selling comic books and science fiction novels at DreamHaven Books and Comics in Minneapolis. This week, his phone hasn't stopped ringing.
Ketter said his store has seen a surge of online orders and messages of support after a photo of him at a recent protest circulated widely on social media. The image appears to show Ketter moving through a cloud of tear gas during a demonstration following the killing of Alex Pretti, which happened just minutes away from his store.
Ketter said he went to the protest after learning about Pretti's death.
Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus president analyzes fatal shooting of Alex Pretti
There are several angles of the deadly shooting of Alex Pretti online.
Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse who was killed in Minneapolis on Saturday, had a permit to carry. WCCO talked with Rob Doar, a firearms instructor and president of the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, about the incident.
