MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota – A federal report delivered to Congressional committees has detailed that two agents from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) discharged their firearms during a confrontation that led to the fatal shooting of intensive care nurse Alex Pretti over the weekend in Minneapolis. The information was revealed on Tuesday by a CBP official.
The report indicates that agents attempted to detain Pretti, who resisted, sparking a physical struggle. During the altercation, a Border Patrol agent reportedly yelled multiple times that Pretti was armed. The document confirms that two officers, one from the Border Patrol and one from CBP, fired their Glock handguns.
This account is based on an investigation conducted by the CBP Office of Professional Responsibility that reviewed agency documentation and body camera footage. The agency is legally required to notify pertinent Congressional committees within 72 hours of any death in CBP custody.
In a separate related event, Ecuador’s foreign minister lodged a formal protest after immigration agents attempted to enter the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis without permission. A video circulated on social media shows a consulate staff member blocking the entrance and informing federal officers that they were not allowed to enter. Officers can be heard warning that physical action against them would be met with retaliation before they withdrew.
International law generally prohibits law enforcement from entering foreign missions without authorization except in emergencies threatening lives, such as fires. Ecuador's Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that consulate staff swiftly activated emergency protocols to protect Ecuadorian nationals present at the facility. The Ministry submitted a diplomatic protest to the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador, seeking assurances against future unauthorized entries.
These events unfolded the day after President Donald Trump directed border czar Tom Homan to oversee immigration raids in Minnesota, following Pretti’s death, marking the second fatal shooting involving immigration agents there this month. President Trump indicated in a Fox News interview that sending Homan aimed to reduce tensions associated with immigration enforcement operations.
Despite the administration’s initial efforts to blame local Democratic leaders for unrest linked to immigration raids, videos suggesting Pretti posed no active threat shifted the focus to federal agency procedures. Stephen Miller, President Trump's deputy chief of staff who previously labeled Pretti as "a killer," released a statement hinting that CBP officers in Minneapolis might have deviated from protocol. Miller noted initial Department of Homeland Security explanations stemmed from field reports by CBP officers.
The immigration enforcement activities on Tuesday in Minneapolis and its suburbs proceeded at levels similar to recent weeks, with most encounters occurring without significant conflict, as observed by journalists. Activist groups continue to monitor these operations through social media and messaging platforms.
President Trump characterized Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino—who previously led expansive citywide immigration raids—as generally effective but suggested Bovino’s approach might not have been suitable for Minneapolis specifically. Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, and the city’s police chief met with Homan on Tuesday, agreeing to maintain dialogue. Homan described their discussion as a productive starting point on social media.
Parallel to these local developments, a federal judge in Texas issued a temporary order blocking the deportation of a five-year-old Ecuadorian child and his father detained the prior week in Minnesota, highlighting ongoing legal scrutiny related to immigration enforcement. The judge, Fred Biery, ruled that deportation or transfer of the family is paused pending court proceedings.
Separately, federal immigration officials released an Ecuadorian man in Texas whose detention had partially prompted litigation resulting in a Minnesota federal judge ordering ICE's interim director, Todd Lyons, to appear in court. Judge Patrick J. Schiltz expressed exasperation with the Trump administration’s handling of immigration cases, noting the absence of arrangements to process numerous habeas petitions and other claims amid a large-scale raid effort.
Schiltz acknowledged that mandating a federal agency leader’s personal court appearance is rare but deemed it necessary, given prior unsuccessful attempts to address judicial order compliance. This legal action occurred in the context of lawsuits seeking to halt the ongoing immigration raids. A judge hearing such a case mentioned prioritizing a ruling but did not specify a timeline.
The Department of Homeland Security, ICE, and the State Department have yet to comment on the diplomatic protest filed by Ecuador or the judicial interventions regarding these immigration enforcement events.
Additionally, an unrelated incident occurred at a Minneapolis event where Representative Ilhan Omar, who had recently called for abolishing the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency and the resignation of Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen, was sprayed with an unidentified liquid. Authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with the event.