The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in the United States has stated that federal law enforcement officers shot and killed an armed man in Minnesota on Saturday, January 24th, while attempting to disarm him. This incident has sparked strong condemnation from local authorities towards federal law enforcement, leading to lawsuits against DHS and other federal agencies. A judge in Minnesota subsequently issued a temporary restraining order prohibiting federal agencies from destroying any evidence related to the shooting.
This incident comes at a time when the federal government in the United States is cracking down on illegal immigration and facing protests from some blue states. The deceased man was identified as 37-year-old Minneapolis resident Alex Pretti. The DHS claimed that Pretti was armed with a handgun and approached Border Patrol agents at the time of the incident, and “violently resisted” when law enforcement attempted to disarm him. Officers shot Pretti in self-defense. However, these explanations have raised doubts. The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension filed lawsuits in the federal district court in Minnesota on Saturday evening.
The defendants in the lawsuit include DHS, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the U.S. Border Patrol, and U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi. According to the related press release, these lawsuits were filed in collaboration with the Minnesota Attorney General.
The lawsuit also includes a motion for a temporary restraining order, seeking to immediately prevent the defendants from destroying any evidence related to the shooting.
According to court documents, Minnesota authorities requested a federal judge to issue a temporary restraining order prohibiting DHS officials, including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, Attorney General Bondi, and FBI Director Kash Patel, from “destroying or failing to properly preserve” evidence related to the shooting. Minnesota Judge Eric Tostrud subsequently approved the application for the temporary restraining order.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison pledged in a statement to conduct a “comprehensive, fair, and transparent investigation” into the shooting of Pretti. He stated that law enforcement agencies in Minnesota are currently conducting such an investigation, and evidence collected by federal agents must be preserved and handed over to state government officials.
Border Control Commander Gregory Bovino condemned Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Police Chief O’Hara during a press conference on Saturday, accusing them of “concealing” the fact that the suspect shot by federal agents was in possession of a loaded weapon.
“We will not tolerate violence against law enforcement officers,” Bovino stated, emphasizing the need for coordination and cooperation among all parties.