Agents Involved in Alex Pretti Shooting Placed on Leave
Two federal agents involved in the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis have been placed on administrative leave. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that the agents, who are immigration agents, have been placed on leave following standard procedure. The agents were placed on leave on Wednesday.
The shooting occurred on Saturday, January 24, 2026, near 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue. Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse at a hospital for veterans, was shot and killed.
According to a report to Congress, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents were conducting an operation in Minneapolis when an officer was confronted by two female civilians blowing whistles. The report states the officer ordered the women to move out of the roadway, and one of the females ran to Pretti.
A preliminary review by U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Pretti was shot by two federal officers, a Border Patrol agent and a customs officer, after he refused to move out of the street following an order from a customs officer.
Initial reports from the Trump administration portrayed Pretti as an aggressor, but these assertions were contradicted by video from the scene. White House aide Stephen Miller called Pretti a "domestic terrorist" and "would-be assassin" without presenting evidence.
The CBP review, conducted by the agency's Office of Professional Responsibility, is standard protocol and shared with members of the U.S. Congress to promote transparency.
Contradictory Statements
DHS Spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin stated the agents were placed on administrative leave on Wednesday. This contradicts what former Border Patrol Commander at Large Greg Bovino told reporters on Sunday, the day after the shooting. Bovino had said, “All agents that were involved in that scene are working, not in Minneapolis, but in other locations. That's for their safety. There's this thing called doxxing, and the safety of our employees is very important to us, so we're going to keep those employees safe.
Investigations Underway
CBP is investigating the shooting, and so are state officials, while it's also under review by the Department of Homeland Security's inspector general's office.
Conclusion
Two federal agents involved in the shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis have been placed on administrative leave as part of standard procedure. The shooting is under investigation by CBP, state officials, and the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general’s office.
