Two federal officers discharged their firearms during the incident that resulted in the death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, as disclosed by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official to Congress on Tuesday. The officers attempted to apprehend Pretti, who resisted, prompting a physical altercation, as outlined in a communication to Congress obtained by The Associated Press. Amid the scuffle, a Border Patrol agent repeatedly shouted, “He’s armed!” according to the official.
According to the notification, a Border Patrol agent and a CBP officer each utilized Glock pistols in the incident. The investigation was conducted by CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility, which analyzed body-worn camera footage and agency records. The agency is mandated by law to report deaths in CBP custody to relevant congressional committees within 72 hours.
The notification was issued a day after U.S. President Donald Trump tasked border czar Tom Homan with overseeing the administration’s immigration enforcement efforts in Minnesota following Pretti’s demise, marking the second deadly shooting by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis this month.
“We are looking to ease tensions a bit by deploying Homan to Minnesota,” Trump remarked during a Fox News interview. The president also noted Homan’s ability to collaborate with governors and mayors, even in Democratic-leaning regions.
As Trump departed the White House, he was asked about the justification of Pretti’s killing, to which he responded by mentioning an ongoing “significant investigation.” Shortly after Pretti’s death, some administration officials attempted to shift blame onto the ICU nurse, with Stephen Miller, Trump’s deputy chief of staff, implying that CBP officers in Minneapolis may not have adhered to protocol.
Meanwhile, Ecuador’s foreign affairs minister lodged a complaint with the U.S. Embassy after ICE agents attempted to enter the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis without authorization. A video circulating on social media captured a consulate staff member intercepting the ICE officers at the door and asserting the consulate’s inviolability. The video also showed an ICE officer threatening to physically intervene before eventually leaving.
International law generally forbids law enforcement from entering foreign consulates or embassies without consent, except in life-threatening emergencies like fires. A “note of protest” was submitted to the U.S. Embassy in Ecuador to prevent similar incidents at other consulates. The State Department, Homeland Security, and Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not immediately respond to requests for comment from the AP.