What we covered
• Deadly shooting: Video appears to show a federal officer had taken a gun away from a Minneapolis man prior to a Border Patrol agent fatally shooting him today. The man has been identified as Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old who sources say worked as an ICU nurse. Police said he’s believed to have been a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.
• Restraining order: A Minnesota judge granted a temporary restraining order blocking federal agencies from destroying evidence from the incident. Minnesota authorities had sued the Trump administration, claiming its officials “took from the scene” of the shooting and prevented state officials from inspecting.
• Tensions inflamed: Anti-ICE protesters were already marching in Minneapolis today despite frigid temperatures. Authorities used tear gas and flash bangs to disperse an angry crowd confronting agents after the shooting.
Our live coverage has moved here.
Judge grants temporary restraining order to protect evidence in fatal shooting of Alex Pretti
A federal judge in Minnesota has granted a temporary restraining order blocking federal agencies from destroying or altering evidence related to the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by a federal agent in Minneapolis.
US District Judge Eric Tostrud issued an order on Saturday evening barring federal defendants – including the Department of Homeland Security and federal immigration agencies – from destroying or altering any evidence related to the shooting.
This includes evidence allegedly removed from the scene or taken into exclusive federal custody, the order said.
The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office requested the order after suing the Trump administration earlier Saturday.
CNN has reached out to DHS and the US Justice Department for comment on the lawsuit and the allegations made by Minnesota authorities.
A court hearing is scheduled for Monday, 2pm CT in St. Paul.
The ruling marks an early legal victory for state officials seeking to preserve evidence and assert oversight of the investigation into the deadly encounter involving federal officers.
Minneapolis pediatrician faults federal agents for not starting CPR on Alex Pretti in new court filing
A Minneapolis pediatrician described watching a man – later identified as Alex Pretti – be shot by a federal agent on Saturday and criticized the federal officers at the scene for not checking the man’s pulse or beginning to perform CPR, according to a new filing in a lawsuit against the Trump administration brought by protesters in December.
“Checking for a pulse and administering CPR is standard practice. Instead of doing either of those things, the (federal immigration) agents appeared to be counting his bullet wounds,” a 29-year-old Minneapolis resident who says they are a licensed pediatrician said in a sworn declaration filed Saturday.
The pediatrician reported witnessing the shooting from the window of their apartment and described seeing federal agents shove a man who appeared to be unarmed to the ground and point their guns at him before shots were fired.
“Initially, I was stunned. From what I could see from my apartment, there was absolutely no need for any violence, let alone lethal force by multiple officers,” the pediatrician said.
The Department of Homeland Security said earlier that Border Patrol officers attempted to disarm an armed man who had approached them, and an agent fired defensive shots when the man “violently resisted.” Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino claimed the man was trying to “massacre law enforcement.”
After hurrying to the scene, the pediatrician said they were a doctor and asked federal agents to let them assess the man. The pediatrician said agents first asked for a physician’s license, but an agent eventually allowed access to the man.
The pediatrician said they saw the man surrounded by several federal agents with “at least three bullet wounds in his back” and was confused to see the man lying on his side because “that is not standard practice” for a person who has been shot.
When the man was turned onto his back, the pediatrician said they saw a gunshot wound to his chest and another to his neck. They found no pulse, and immediately began CPR until emergency services arrived.
“I do not feel safe in my city,” the pediatrician added, according to the filing. “In less than one month, ICE agents have shot and killed two people for protesting and observing their actions. I worry that I or someone I love will be shot and killed for voicing their displeasure and being in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
CNN has reached out to lawyers for the witnesses and DHS for comment on the new filings.
Catch up on the latest notable reactions to the Minneapolis shooting
Here are some key reactions to the shooting today of a man in Minneapolis by federal law enforcement.
- President Donald Trump said local and state officials were “inciting insurrection,” suggesting without evidence that they called off local police from protecting federal immigration officers at the shooting scene.
- Vice President JD Vance called what was happening in Minneapolis “engineered chaos” and accused local authorities of working with “far left agitators.”
- Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota criticized the scope and conduct of federal enforcement operations in Minnesota and said Minneapolis has been “under siege.”
- Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem characterized the presence of Alex Pretti, who was shot by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis today, as a “violent riot.”
- Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called the Department of Homeland Security’s recounting of the events that led to the shooting “nonsense” and “lies,” after watching video of the incident. He likened the actions of the immigration enforcement officers in the state to an “occupation,” and promised to “secure justice for our neighbors. And … see this occupation end,” in a post on X Saturday.
- Republican House Majority Whip Tom Emmer said that “unlike (his) Democratic colleagues,” he would “let law enforcement conduct their investigation and not jump to asinine conclusions.”
- Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats “will not provide the votes to proceed to the appropriations bill if the DHS funding bill is included,” threatening a partial government shutdown.
- Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy wrote in a post on X: “The events in Minneapolis are incredibly disturbing. The credibility of ICE and DHS are at stake. There must be a full joint federal and state investigation. We can trust the American people with the truth.”
CNN’s Logan Schiciano and Angelica Tyler contributed to this post.
Photos: Protests stretch across the country
The fatal shooting of Alex Pretti Saturday reignited protests against immigration crackdowns in several cities across the country. Demonstrations stretches from New York, with people holding placard banners calling for the abolishment of ICE, to Los Angeles, where a candlelight vigil was held.
Democratic representative says Minneapolis shooting carried out by "federal cowards"
Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton strongly condemned the fatal shooting of Minnesota man Alex Pretti, arguing in an interview with CNN that the “only debate” to be had about the incident is whether it was a “murder or execution.”
He went on to compare the incident to a state crackdown on protesters in Iran, which has killed thousands.
The Department of Homeland Security has said federal agents involved in the deadly shooting Saturday were acting in self-defense.
“Americans need to wake up, and my Republican colleagues in Washington need to wake up,” Moulton said.
Democrats, who are outraged over the shooting, have threatened a partial government shutdown over Department of Homeland Security funding in the wake of the incident.
Moments before Alex Pretti was shot by Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis
Video shot from the inside of a white car shows a close-up view of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti.
At the beginning of the video, the person filming can be heard saying “whoa,” after the person with the orange backpack is pushed.
Pretti can then be seen getting between the agent and the person with the orange backpack as the same agent then starts spraying what appears to be a chemical agent close to Pretti’s face.
Then, agents pull Pretti and seem to throw him onto the ground as Pretti continues to hold onto the person with the orange backpack.
Another person, wearing a gas mask, is threatened with a chemical agent from up close by an officer as agents wrestle with Pretti, who is not visible in the video anymore. Shortly after, a gunshot can be heard.
Witness says Alex Pretti didn't resist or reach for a gun before shooting in new court filing
A witness to Saturday’s shooting in Minneapolis described watching a man – later identified as Alex Pretti – be shot by a federal agent after trying to help a woman who had been pepper sprayed, saying he did not resist or reach for a gun, according to a new filing in a lawsuit against the Trump administration brought by protesters in December.
“I have read the statement from DHS about what happened and it is wrong,” the unnamed witness said in the Saturday filing. “The man did not approach the agents with a gun. He approached them with a camera. He was just trying to help a woman get up and they took him to the ground.”
The Department of Homeland Security said earlier that Border Patrol officers attempted to disarm an armed man who had approached them, and an agent fired defensive shots when the man “violently resisted.” Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino claimed the man was trying to “massacre law enforcement.”
The witness said Pretti was observing and helping to direct traffic around a convoy of federal vehicles before he and the witness moved closer to document the immigration activity with their phones. When an agent asked them to back up, the witness said they moved onto the sidewalk, but Pretti stayed in the street and filmed.
Pretti moved closer to two other observers in the street as they were threatened with pepper spray and one was pushed to the ground, the witness said. An agent sprayed all three of them in the face, the witness said. Pretti put his hands above his head and was sprayed again and pushed by the agent.
Pretti then tried to help the woman who was pushed to the ground before being grabbed by multiple agents and pulled to the ground, the witness said.
”I didn’t see him touch any of them–he wasn’t even turned toward them. It didn’t look like he was trying to resist, just trying to help the woman up. I didn’t see him with a gun,” they wrote. “Four or five agents had him on the ground and they just started shooting him. They shot him so many times.”
CNN has reached out to lawyers for the witnesses and DHS for comment on the new filings.
Defense Secretary Hegseth posts "how to" graphic for avoiding ICE
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted a “how to” graphic on social media offering three steps for individuals “to avoid I.C.E.” after a Border Patrol agent fatally shot a man in Minneapolis.
“1. Don’t be here illegally. 2. Don’t attack I.C.E. officers. 3. Obey federal and state laws,” the poster reads, alongside a drawing of a White male Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer carrying papers and wearing a gun holster.
Hegseth’s post comes after he cast blame on Minnesota leadership and “lunatics in the street” in the aftermath of the shooting of Alex Pretti.
The tone of Hegseth’s post is in line with the Trump administration’s response to the shooting — backing the federal agents and alleging wrongdoing on the part of Pretti — including White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, who reposted the following message from a user on X from her personal account:
“I would simply just not wake up on a Saturday morning, dress up like a militia character, arm myself with a gun, and go try to stop ICE from arresting a convicted domestic abuser.”
Events canceled, venues closed throughout Minneapolis amid city unrest
Sports games and concerts are being canceled or postponed, while museums and other venues are closing in Minneapolis following another fatal shooting involving a federal officer.
Below is a list of affected events and venues:
- The National Basketball Association postponed today’s scheduled game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and Golden State Warriors at Target Center in Minneapolis “to prioritize the safety and security of the Minneapolis community.”
- The Minnesota Twins ended its baseball TwinsFest fan festival early to allow for “expedited departure” of all guests.
- First Avenue, a historic music venue in downtown Minneapolis, scrapped a jam-band show tonight “out of an abundance of caution.”
- The Children’s Theatre Company cancelled today’s performances “in the interest of patron and staff safety.”
- Guthrie Theater cancelled its evening performance “in light of recent events in our community.”
- Theatre in the Round cancelled its Saturday evening show following “another dark moment in our city.”
- Minnesota Opera cancelled tonight’s showtunes show.
- Minneapolis Institute of Art closed its doors early today and will remain closed tomorrow.
- Saint Paul Winter Carnival Grand Day parade was cancelled today to “prioritize the safety of our participants, volunteers, and attendees.”
- Icehouse, a live music venue, will be closed all weekend “due to the horrible murder of another community member.”
- The Twin Cities Film Fest’s MN Shorts Showcase has been postponed “out of an abundance of care and caution.”
Minnesota authorities sue Trump administration, claiming its officials “took from scene” of shooting
A lawsuit has been filed against the Trump administration by the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension to prevent the tampering and destruction of evidence in connection to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol Agent, according to a news release.
The lawsuit is coupled with a motion for a temporary restraining order, filed shortly after 7 p.m. Saturday in the US District Court in Minnesota, against DHS, ICE, Customs and Border Patrol, US Border Control and US Attorney General Pam Bondi. The filings were done in partnership with the state’s attorney general, the release said.
“Our office has jurisdiction to review this matter for potential criminal conduct by the federal agents involved and we will do so,” said Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty, who added the lawsuit “is just one of the many actions our office is taking to ensure that a thorough and transparent investigation can be completed at the state level.”
DHS did not allow the BCA’s Force Investigations Unit to access the scene of today’s shooting, despite having a search warrant, BCA has said, adding it is nonetheless “engaged and involved” in probing the incident.
CNN has reached out to DHS and the US Justice Department for comment on the lawsuit and the allegations made by Minnesota authorities.
This post has been updated with additional information.
Alex Pretti was part of the “fabric of my community” who engaged in non-violent protests, neighbor says
Alex Pretti, the man who was fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent today, was part of “the fabric” of Minneapolis who had been outside on the streets as one of thousands of non-violent protesters who engaged in a strike Friday, calling for federal agents to leave their community, said his next-door neighbor Chris Gray.
Gray condemned statements by Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino that Pretti was trying to “massacre law enforcement.” Gray said he wants people to remember Pretti as someone who was part of “a mass non-violent community resistance,” while calling for an end to deportations and another strike in wake of Pretti’s death after hundreds of businesses across the state were encouraged to close on Friday.
“Everything they say about my neighbors is a lie,” Gray said of the Trump administration.
“These are ordinary people who are trying to keep their neighborhood together and to stay whole,” he continued.
“The whole community is standing together against this occupation of ICE, which is part of a divide and roll tactic that the Trump regime is pushing on us because they have no answers for the real issues that working class people face.”
Heads of multiple DHS agencies asked to testify before House Homeland Security panel
The Republican chair of the House Homeland Security committee formally requested that the leaders of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection and US Citizenship and Immigration testify in a full panel hearing.
The formal request comes after a 37-year-old man was shot and killed today in Minneapolis by a Border Patrol agent.
GOP Rep. Andrew Garbarino sent letters to the acting director of ICE Todd Lyons, CBP commissioner Rodney Scott and USCIS director Joseph Edlow asking them to appear before the committee sometime next month or March.
“I take my oversight duties for the department seriously, and Congress has an important responsibility to ensure the safety of law enforcement and the people they serve and protect,” the New York Republican said in a statement.
“I am committed to ensuring ICE, CBP, and USCIS are effectively using the historic resources provided through reconciliation to strengthen public safety, and I look forward to each of these agencies testifying before the Committee.”
Garbarino said that committee staff had previously invited the agency heads to testify at a hearing.
“On January 15, 2026, Committee on Homeland Security (Committee) staff invited you to testify at a hearing regarding oversight of Department of Homeland Security (DHS) components charged with border security and immigration enforcement. Today, I am formally memorializing this previous invitation,” Garbarino said.
New angle of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti shows the moments before he was shot
Video obtained by CNN shows the moments leading up to a Border Patrol agent fatally shooting 37-year-old Alex Pretti.
The Department of Homeland Security said the man had a handgun and “violently resisted” when agents tried to disarm him. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said videos show that account to be “nonsense” and “lies.”
At the 12 second mark of the video, Pretti is first seen holding his phone in one hand. He is wearing a black baseball hat, sunglasses and a brown jacket.
From the 23 second mark to the 29 second mark, Pretti is seen holding what appears to be his phone, presumably recording federal agents while stepping closer to them. At the 35 secondmark, after a federal agent pushes a bystander on the ground, Pretti goes towards the agent. The agent grabs Pretti and appears to spray him with a chemical irritant.
Pretti then turns towards the bystander on the ground and grabs her. It’s unclear what he was trying to do.
For the next few seconds, Pretti grabs on to the bystander on the ground as multiple agents grab on to him. The agents separate Pretti from the bystander. Multiple agents pile on top of Pretti, who is on the ground. One agent appears to reach towards Pretti’s waist and backs away, before Pretti was shot.
Major gun rights group slams Trump DOJ appointee for pre-judging Minneapolis shooting
The National Rifle Association, a gun rights organization, has weighed in on the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis by federal agents, condemning a Trump appointee’s apparent attempt to pre-judge the case.
On Saturday, Bill Essayli, who serves as the top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles posted on X: “If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you. Don’t do it!”
In response to the post, the NRA wrote that Essayli’s comments were “dangerous and wrong,” adding “responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens.”
The condemnation from the major gun rights group is notable as it runs counter to the quick efforts by senior Trump officials to blame Pretti for his death.
Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino said on Saturday, “This looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.”
At no point in any of the videos reviewed by CNN can Pretti be seen wielding a weapon.
The Minneapolis police chief said Pretti was believed to be a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.
Crowds gather at memorial for Alex Pretti in Minneapolis
Crowds are gathering Saturday around a memorial for Alex Pretti in the bitter cold in Minneapolis, lighting candles, placing flowers and saying prayers for the 37-year-old man fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent.
Site of today’s deadly shooting is a multicultural restaurant hub
This morning’s fatal shooting of Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old nurse, by a Border Patrol agent has further shaken Minneapolis.
Pretti was killed on Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis, in a part of the city commonly known as Eat Street – a vibrant multiple-block stretch that is home to restaurants from all over the world and a symbol of the city’s multicultural community, which residents are fighting to protect.
The city’s website refers to the area as “Minneapolis’s Grand Tour of international food.”
The block where the shooting took place is lined with restaurants including Peninsula Malaysian Cuisine, Christos Greek Restaurant, the German-themed Black Forest Inn and Lanza Restaurant, which serves East African food.
Video shows exchange between federal agents and Alex Pretti before he was fatally shot
Video taken from the inside of the car shows the moment federal agents clashed with Alex Pretti, 37, before he was fatally shot.
The video shows Pretti standing while facing at least one federal agent. Pretti’s right hand appears to be raised and holding a phone, as if he’s filming the interaction. It is unclear whether they are speaking to each other.
Another agent walks over to Pretti and the first agent.
The first agent steps toward Pretti and pushes him back, and Pretti appears to comply, stepping backward with his phone still raised.
Videos appear to show federal officer took gun from Alex Pretti just before fatal shooting, CNN analysis finds
A CNN analysis of video appears to show a federal immigration officer removing a gun from Alex Pretti just prior to officers fatally shooting him.
Video shows one officer reaching into the scrum of other officers seeking to restrain Pretti and retrieving a weapon that appears to match the firearm the Department of Homeland Security says Pretti possessed.
Officers can be heard shouting “he’s got a gun” when the unidentified officer reaches into Pretti’s waistband as the pile of officers try to subdue him. Just over one second after the officer emerges holding the weapon, a shot rings out, followed by at least 9 more, according to videos.
The videos show that the officer who retrieved the weapon had nothing in his hand prior to approaching Pretti. It is unclear from the videos reviewed by CNN whether the officer who took the weapon from Pretti told the others once he had taken it away. It is also unclear which agent first fired at Pretti.
In a statement, DHS claimed that an officer fired on Pretti, 37, while fearing for his life: “The officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted…Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots.”
At no point in any of the videos reviewed by CNN can Pretti be seen wielding a weapon; he is seen carrying a cellphone in one hand earlier in the encounter.
The Minneapolis police chief said Pretti was believed to be a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.
Tensions escalate in Minneapolis after man was fatally shot by Border Patrol agent. Here’s the latest
Crowds of people in Minneapolis continue to brave the frigid winter weather in protest Saturday after tense confrontations unfolded in the Twin Cities earlier in the day over the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent.
The Department of Homeland Security has said the agent killed Pretti in self-defense — a narrative Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz called “nonsense” and “lies.” A CNN analysis of video appears to show a federal immigration officer removing a gun from Pretti just prior to officers fatally shooting him.
Here’s what you should know:
- Minneapolis man identified: 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a US citizen and ICU nurse at a local VA hospital, was identified by officials as the Minneapolis man fatally shot by a Border Patrol agent Saturday. His killing marks the third shooting by federal agents in Minneapolis in less than a month, coming after an ICE agent on January 7 fatally shot Renee Good. Pretti’s parents said they are “heartbroken but also very angry” following the death of their son, who they called a hero, describing him as someone who “wanted to make a difference in this world.”
- Local and state leaders at odds with DHS: DHS Secretary Kristi Noem reiterated the Trump administration’s support for the officer involved in the shooting, who she said was acting in self-defense as the agency claimed Pretti “violently resisted” agents’ attempts to disarm him. Without evidence, Senior White House aide Stephen Miller claimed Pretti was a “domestic terrorist.” Meanwhile, Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey condemned the shooting and discounted accounts from the Trump administration, saying the city plans to file a declaration to encourage a ruling on a temporary restraining order that would halt federal immigration operations in Minneapolis.
- Lawful gun owner: The Minneapolis police chief said Pretti was believed to be a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry. A CNN analysis of video appeared to show a federal agent removing Pretti’s weapon before shots rang out. Noem characterized Pretti’s presence today as a “violent riot,” saying he was armed with “multiple dozens of rounds of ammunition” and had intentions to “inflict harm” on federal officers. Pretti’s parents condemned the Trump administration’s “sickening lies” about their son, saying he was not holding a gun when he was shot.
- Tense confrontations: City officials have urged protesters to remain calm after Pretti’s killing. Earlier in the day, tear gas swallowed crowds of protesters confronting federal agents in Minneapolis as law enforcement deployed flash bangs and other crowd control measures. The National Guard said it’s bringing “more resources” to the state and police said demonstrations are now stable and peaceful this afternoon.
- State investigators blocked: DHS did not allow the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension’s Force Investigations Unit to access the scene of today’s shooting – despite having a search warrant – but the bureau said it is nonetheless “engaged and involved” in probing the incident. Noem has dismissed the idea state law enforcement would be included in the federal investigation.
