Minnesota state law enforcement officials say the FBI is refusing to provide evidence related to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a Department of Veterans Affairs nurse who was killed during a federal immigration operation in Minneapolis last month.
Pretti was shot on 24 January by officials from US Customs and Border Protection during a surge of federal immigration enforcement activity in the city. His death came amid a broader crackdown on immigration enforcement operations and followed two other high-profile incidents: the fatal shooting of Renee Good earlier in the month and the shooting of Julio C Sosa-Celis roughly 10 days later.
On Monday, Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension confirmed it had been formally notified by the FBI that no evidence or investigative materials related to Pretti’s death would be shared with state authorities. The bureau had been seeking access as part of what it describes as an independent state-level review.
Governor Tim Walz called for an impartial investigation into the shootings, arguing that federal agencies should not oversee investigations into their own actions. He said the families of those involved deserve transparency and accountability. BCA superintendent Drew Evans described the FBI’s refusal as concerning and unprecedented but said the agency would continue pursuing all legal avenues to obtain relevant evidence. He added that the bureau remains committed to conducting a thorough and independent investigation, even if access to key materials is limited.
The FBI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. The bureau has previously declined to share information in relation to the shootings of Good and Sosa-Celis. In January, the BCA said it could not meet Minnesota’s investigative standards without full access to evidence and witnesses, and it halted its investigation into Good’s death as a result.
The shootings occurred during what federal authorities described as an intensified immigration enforcement initiative in the Minneapolis area, known as “Operation Metro Surge.” The operation has involved large-scale arrests of individuals suspected of lacking legal residency status and has drawn criticism from both Democratic and Republican officials who have called for independent reviews of the use of force in recent incidents.
Pretti had reportedly been observing immigration enforcement activity at the time he was shot. Good, also a US citizen, was killed while sitting in her vehicle. Federal officials initially alleged she had used her car as a weapon, though local authorities later disputed that claim. Video footage from both incidents has circulated widely online, prompting protests across Minneapolis and Saint Paul.
Sosa-Celis was shot in the leg during a separate encounter. Federal officials initially stated that he and two others had ambushed an ICE officer, who then fired in self-defence. However, two ICE officials were placed on leave last week pending an internal investigation into allegations that they provided false testimony about the incident.
The refusal by federal authorities to share investigative material has intensified tensions between Minnesota state officials and federal agencies, raising broader questions about oversight, transparency and jurisdiction in cases involving federal immigration enforcement.
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