The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a federal civil rights investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, the Minneapolis resident killed by federal agents on January 24, 2026, in an incident that has sparked national attention and local protests.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced on January 30 that the Federal Bureau of Investigation will lead the comprehensive inquiry, examining the actions of officers involved as well as the circumstances in the days leading up to the shooting.

Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse, was shot during a confrontation with U.S. Border Patrol personnel while he was recording federal immigration officers on his phone.

Multiple videos that have since circulated contradict initial accounts from officials, showing Pretti holding only his mobile phone when he was tackled to the ground and a handgun legally carried by him being removed by one agent shortly before shots were fired into his back.

At no point in the released footage does he appear to reach for the firearm.

The Justice Department’s inquiry represents a shift from initial plans that saw the Department of Homeland Security’s internal investigative arm leading the probe.

Blanche clarified that not every law enforcement shooting automatically triggers a civil rights investigation, but that the available evidence and circumstances in Pretti’s case warrant a deeper federal review.

The Civil Rights Division, which handles potential violations of individuals’ rights by government agents, will contribute expertise as needed throughout the review.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem confirmed that Homeland Security Investigations will support the FBI, while Customs and Border Protection conducts its own internal use-of-force investigation.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, the state agency typically responsible for local officer-involved shooting probes, was reportedly excluded from the federal investigation, a move that has drawn criticism from some local authorities and civil liberties advocates.

The broader context of the investigation includes earlier anti-ICE protest activity and competing narratives about Pretti’s behaviour.

Some footage from January 13 shows a separate altercation between Pretti and federal immigration officers prior to the fatal shooting, though legal experts and his family’s attorneys say those events do not justify the lethal force used later.

The decision to pursue a civil rights investigation comes amid calls for accountability from community and civil rights groups, as well as bipartisan scrutiny of federal immigration enforcement tactics.