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By Leonardo Feldman and Hannah Parry
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The FBI has formally notified Minnesota's state criminal investigation agency that it will not be providing any evidence or information connected to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent's fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, according to the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA).
Minnesota BCA Superintendent Drew Evans slammed the lack of cooperation between agencies on Monday, calling it "concerning and unprecedented."
The FBI National Press Office told Newsweek, "We refer you to the Deputy Attorney General's remarks from January 30. We have nothing additional to provide."
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The Context
The backlash over the shooting deaths of two U.S. citizens during immigration enforcement operations has led to swift changes in leadership in Minnesota. The Trump Administration recently sent border czar Tom Homan to the state following public outcry over Pretti's death.
Pretti, a nurse, was fatally shot during immigration operations in Minneapolis last month. Video recordings show feds tackling him to the ground and shooting him when they discovered he was carrying a weapon. He was a licensed gun owner and was legally carrying the weapon.
Pretti's case has been particularly controversial and has led the Trump Administration to lose support over the way it's handled immigration operations.
A recent poll released last week by AP/NORC found that 62 percent think the deployment of federal immigration agents into U.S. cities has gone too far.
Last week, Homan, who is viewed more favorably than others in the administration leading deportation efforts, announced the end of the immigration crackdown called "Operation Metro Surge" in Minnesota.
What To Know
"The BCA is committed to thorough, independent and transparent investigations of these incidents, even if hampered by a lack of access to key information and evidence," Evans added. "Our agency has committed to the FBI and Department of Justice that should its stance change we remain willing to share information that we have obtained with that agency and would welcome a joint investigation."
The rift between the MN's BCA and FBI is nothing new. BCA has been trying to work hand in hand with the FBI on this, but so far, their attempts have been unsuccessful.
On February 6th, Evans also weighed in on the matter by releasing a statement:
"A thorough and impartial investigative process that is objective, worthy of public trust and guided by Minnesota’s established investigative standards is critical. A cooperative approach helps ensure Minnesotans can trust the outcome of this review."
BCA indicated that its agents "have collected witness statements, collected physical evidence and video evidence that captured the circumstances related to this incident."
Ever since the shooting occurred, they have been conducting their own independent investigation.
What People Are Saying
In response to the FBI's refusal to share evidence in Pretti's case, Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty posted on X: "The HCAO and BCA remain committed to investigating the Pretti, Good, and Sosa-Celis shootings here in Minneapolis."
Earlier this month, an interim staff analysis released by Oversight Democrats from the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform in the House of Representatives accused the Trump Administration of "attempting to
cover up misconduct."
The report alleged that the Administration was "impeding thorough and impartial investigations into the shootings."
What Happens Next
In the most recent press release, Evans said they will continue to pursue all legal avenues to gain access to relevant information and evidence as they navigate the FBI's refusal.
BCA is asking for anyone with information about the shooting of Alex Pretti, Renee Good, or Julio Sosa-Celis to come forward and contact them at 651-793-7000.
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Update 02/16/26 3:43 p.m. ET: This article has been updated with comment from the FBI.
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