DOJ Opens Civil Rights Probe Into Alex Pretti Shooting
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said Jan. 30, 2026, the FBI will lead a federal civil rights investigation into Alex Pretti’s Jan. 24, 2026, shooting.
CBS NewsJustice Department will probe Alex Pretti's killing in civil rights investigation
NBC NewsDOJ opens a civil rights probe into Alex Pretti's fatal shooting in Minneapolis, deputy AG says
Washington ExaminerDOJ says it opened civil rights investigation into Alex Pretti’s death
FOX NewsWhy the federal probe into Alex Pretti’s death isn’t about gun rights
Overview
On Jan. 30, 2026, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the Justice Department opened a federal civil rights investigation into Alex Pretti’s Jan. 24, 2026, fatal shooting and that the FBI will lead the probe.
The inquiry follows the Jan. 7, 2026, killing of Renee Nicole Good and comes amid an expanded federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis that has drawn political and legal scrutiny, officials said.
Steve Schleicher, attorney for Pretti’s family, said Jan. 30, 2026, the family seeks "a fair and impartial investigation" into his death, while Todd Blanche declined to commit to releasing body-camera footage, officials said.
Records show two Customs and Border Protection agents fired during the Jan. 24 incident and are on administrative leave, and Jan. 13, 2026, videos show Pretti holding only a mobile phone.
The FBI will review video, witness statements and forensic evidence and Civil Rights Division attorneys will join if warranted, while it remains unclear whether Minnesota state investigators will receive federal evidence, officials said.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the coverage as a scrutiny-driven narrative, emphasizing official accountability and contradictory evidence. They foreground DOJ and FBI actions, video footage that undercuts DHS claims, and statements from family and officials, using selective sequencing and emphasis to raise doubt about initial agency accounts and highlight calls for investigation.