There are moments in a city’s life that feel like the pause between two heartbeats — quiet, reflective, and laden with meaning. Minneapolis has just experienced one such pause, where a communal breath seems to hang in the balance between anger and the hope for clarity. On a winter day marked by ongoing debates over federal immigration enforcement, the U.S. Department of Justice announced that it has opened a federal civil rights investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis ICU nurse and protester. Officials described this step as a necessary measure to examine all circumstances surrounding his death and to shed light on what happened that day, even as the city continues to grapple with its aftermath.
Pretti’s killing on Jan. 24, 2026, occurred during protests against “Operation Metro Surge,” a federal campaign involving immigration enforcement agents operating in Minneapolis. At the time, Pretti was reportedly observing and documenting interactions between federal officers and demonstrators when he was shot by Border Patrol agents, a moment captured on bystander video and widely shared across social media. Witnesses and family members have disputed initial claims by some officials about the nature of the encounter, prompting calls for a thorough, impartial investigation.
In announcing the new probe, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said investigators are looking at “everything that would shed light on what happened that day and in the days and weeks leading up to what happened,” a reflection both of legal rigor and the intense scrutiny the incident has drawn nationwide. The FBI has taken the lead in this federal civil rights inquiry, with support from the Department of Homeland Security, even as questions remain about how evidence will be shared with state and local authorities.
Pretti’s family and their attorney have emphasized their desire for a fair and impartial examination of the facts around his death. Demonstrations in Minneapolis and beyond, including vigils and marches in cities such as New York, have underscored the deep emotional resonance of the case and the broader concerns about law enforcement use of force during protests.
Officials have noted that a civil rights investigation does not, in itself, signal any predetermined outcome, but rather provides a framework for assessing whether constitutional protections were violated. This decision contrasts with other similar cases, such as the earlier death of Renée Good in the same city, which so far has not been the subject of a civil rights probe. Blanche said that such investigations are not automatic but depend on the specific circumstances of each case.
For many in Minneapolis, this investigation represents a moment of reckoning — a chance to understand not just the sequence of events on that winter morning, but the broader context in which federal agents and local communities interact. The pursuit of truth in complex and contested situations is rarely swift, but it begins with a commitment to listen, examine, and reflect, even amid the charged atmosphere that has followed Pretti’s death.
In straightforward terms, the U.S. Justice Department has formally opened a federal civil rights investigation into the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti by Border Patrol agents during a protest in late January 2026. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that the FBI will lead the inquiry, examining all available evidence and circumstances surrounding the incident. The move comes amid ongoing public protests and calls for accountability, and represents a shift from initial handling of the case.
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Sources AP News / Associated Press report on DOJ investigation Reuters report on Justice Department federal civil rights probe CBS Minnesota coverage of DOJ civil rights investigation The Guardian news on DOJ opening civil rights investigation PBS NewsHour report on DOJ civil rights probe initiation