CBP Agents Placed on Leave After Fatal Shooting of Minneapolis Nurse Alex Pretti
Updated (2 articles)
Fatal Shooting Occurs After Struggle Involving Agency‑Issued Firearms Two CBP officers discharged a Glock 19 and a Glock 47 while Alex Jeffrey Pretti resisted arrest, and an officer shouted “He’s got a gun” before the shots were fired [2]. Video analysis shows an officer removed Pretti’s own handgun from his waistband moments before the agents fired, confirming the weapons used were agency‑issued [2]. Pretti was transported to Hennepin County Medical Center and declared dead at approximately 9:32 a.m., with an autopsy pending [2].
Administrative Leave Applied to Both Agents Under Standard Procedure U.S. Customs and Border Protection placed the two agents involved on administrative leave following the shooting, consistent with federal policy that personnel remain off duty while investigations proceed [1]. The agency did not disclose the exact start date or duration of the leave [1].
Preliminary DHS Report Disputes Early Claims of Gun Brandishing DHS report sent to Congress states the agents shot Pretti during a scuffle, contradicting earlier narratives that he brandished a firearm [1]. BBC Verify’s video review found no gun in Pretti’s hand at the moment of the shooting, though a firearm was visible in his waistband [1]. The report clarifies that an officer shouted about a gun before the agents opened fire [1].
Family Lawyer and Politicians Call for Accountability and Policy Review Steve Schleicher, representing the Pretti family, asserted that Pretti was violently assaulted by ICE agents a week earlier and posed no threat during the fatal encounter [1]. President Donald Trump criticized Minneapolis’s sanctuary stance, while Mayor Jacob Frey reiterated the city will not enforce federal immigration laws [1]. Rep. Ilhan Omar and other lawmakers demanded the removal of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, with Democrats threatening impeachment if she does not resign [1].
Sources
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1.
BBC: CBP Agents Placed on Leave After Fatal Shooting of Minneapolis Nurse: reports agents placed on administrative leave, details a preliminary DHS report refuting gun‑brandishing claims, and highlights political backlash and earlier assault video .
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2.
CNN: CBP Officers Fired Agency Guns in Fatal Minneapolis Encounter with Alex Pretti: describes the agents’ use of Glock 19 and Glock 47, confirms the weapons were agency‑issued, outlines the struggle’s trigger, and notes the internal investigation by CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility .
Timeline
Dec 1, 2025 – Operation Metro Surge launches, a federal immigration enforcement push that by early 2026 has produced more than 3,000 illegal‑immigrant arrests in Minnesota, including violent offenders, intensifying local tensions and prompting a federal judge to order the release of detained refugees awaiting residency [1].
Jan 7, 2026 – An ICE officer shoots Minnesota resident Renee Good, leading to the officer’s placement on administrative leave and adding to scrutiny of federal enforcement in the state [1]; on the same day, video later released shows Alex Pretti in an 11‑day‑old altercation with ICE agents, during which he shouts abuse, kicks a car taillight, and a gun is visible in his waistband as agents wrestle him to the ground [1].
Mid‑January 2026 (≈Jan 18) – During a struggle sparked by two women refusing an officer’s orders, CBP agents fire agency‑issued Glock 19 and Glock 47 weapons at Alex Pretti after an officer repeatedly shouts “He’s got a gun”; Pretti is shot, agents secure his firearm, apply chest seals, and he is pronounced dead at 9:32 a.m. at Hennepin County Medical Center [2].
Jan 27, 2026 – CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility issues its first internal report confirming that the agents used their own agency‑issued guns—not Pretti’s weapon—and that an officer removed Pretti’s gun from his waist moments before the shooting; the report notes the agents provided medical aid after the incident [2].
Jan 29, 2026 – CBP places the two agents who fired on Pretti on administrative leave under standard protocol while investigations proceed; a preliminary DHS report disputes earlier claims that Pretti brandished a firearm, citing video that shows no gun in his hand at the moment of fire [1]; family lawyer Steve Schleicher states Pretti “was violently assaulted by a group of ICE agents” a week earlier, emphasizing he posed no threat; President Donald Trump announces plans to “de‑escalate” in Minneapolis and attacks Mayor Jacob Frey’s sanctuary stance, while lawmakers from both parties call for DHS Secretary Kristi Noem’s resignation and Democrats threaten impeachment if she does not step down [1].