FBI won't share evidence related to Alex Pretti shooting, state says

The FBI notified Minnesota state investigators that it will not share information or evidence related to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis, the state's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension said in a Feb. 16 statement.

The news comes after Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and other officials expressed hope that federal authorities would cooperate with the state in an investigation into the killing of Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse whose death triggered nationwide protests and bipartisan calls for an independent investigation.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which specializes in investigating police shootings and has often worked with federal authorities, vowed to move ahead with its own investigation but acknowledged the challenges posed by the FBI's decision to withhold evidence.

"While this lack of cooperation is concerning and unprecedented, 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," the agency said.

The FBI, which is leading a federal probe into the Pretti shooting, declined to comment.

The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension says it has also been blocked from evidence and case materials related to the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good, a mother of three, and another Minneapolis shooting that left a Venezuelan man injured. Both incidents involved U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents.

Independent investigations have remained a central demand of Minnesota state and local officials, as well as federal lawmakers from both parties, amid outrage over the shootings. Walz reiterated those calls on Monday, Feb. 16.

"Minnesota needs impartial investigations into the shootings of American citizens on our streets," he said in a post on X. "Trump’s left hand cannot investigate his right hand. The families of the deceased deserve better."

While Minnesota authorities have pledged to investigate each shooting, it remains unclear whether state prosecutors will be able to bring charges against the federal agents, particularly without access to key evidence. Such cases are already difficult to pursue, as federal officers are granted broad legal protections that often shield them from prosecution.

Pretti's death on the morning of Jan. 24 prompted intense outrage as footage of the incident undermined assertions made by top Trump administration officials who said Pretti had "brandished" a firearm and acted as an "assassin."

Videos show Pretti filming federal agents with his phone before he was taken to the ground, disarmed and shot in the back. The Department of Homeland Security said two agents opened fire, both of whom have been placed on leave.

Within hours of Pretti's death, the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and a local prosecutor's office went to court to gain access to the scene and even obtained a search warrant, a move state officials described in court records as unusual but necessary.

"In my 20-plus years at the BCA, prior to 2026, I had never encountered a situation in which federal authorities blocked BCA access to an incident where there is concurrent federal and state jurisdiction," Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Superintendent Drew Evans said in a federal court filing.

U.S. District Judge Eric C. Tostrud issued a temporary restraining order barring federal authorities from "destroying or altering" evidence in the case. Tostrud later dissolved the order, writing there was no evidence to justify its extension.

The U.S. Justice Department opened a civil rights investigation into the Pretti shooting, which could potentially lead to criminal charges against the officers involved, though there is a high legal bar to bring such a case. U.S. Customs and Border Protection opened a separate internal investigation into the incident.

The Justice Department previously declined to investigate the Good shooting, saying there's "no basis" for such an inquiry. That decision, as well as a push from top DOJ officials to instead investigate Good's wife, led to a wave of resignations at the U.S. attorney’s office in Minnesota, according to multiple news outlets, including The New York Times and NBC News.

ICE said that as part of an internal investigation, it is reviewing the conduct of Jonathan Ross, the agent who shot Good.

The Justice Department and ICE are also investigating whether the two officers involved in a shooting that injured Venezuelan immigrant Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis lied under oath. Federal authorities launched the probe after video evidence appeared to contradict the officers' initial statements about the Jan. 14 shooting in Minneapolis.

Contributing: Reuters

Christopher Cann is a national breaking news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact him via email at [email protected].