CBP Officers Discharged Agency Weapons During Fatal Minneapolis Encounter, DHS Report Finds
Two Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers fired their agency-issued weapons during a fatal encounter with Alex Pretti in Minneapolis over the weekend, according to an initial Department of Homeland Security report reviewed by CNN.
The report, prepared by CBP as part of an internal investigation, indicates that tensions escalated rapidly during the confrontation. An officer was heard repeatedly warning fellow agents by shouting, “He’s got a gun,” moments before shots were fired as agents struggled with Pretti on the ground, CNN reported.
“CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody,” the report states. “Pretti resisted CBP personnel’s efforts and a struggle ensued.”
“During the struggle, a (Border Patrol agent) yelled, ‘He’s got a gun!’ multiple times,” the report adds.
According to the report, approximately five seconds later, a Border Patrol agent discharged a CBP-issued Glock 19, while a Customs and Border Protection officer fired a CBP-issued Glock 47. Investigators have not yet determined whether bullets from both officers struck Pretti.
The report also stops short of stating that Pretti was actively “brandishing” a firearm during the incident, a claim that had been publicly asserted by Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem following the shooting.
Since the incident—captured on multiple bystander videos—questions have circulated regarding whether Pretti’s own firearm may have discharged during the physical struggle. However, the DHS report specifies that officers fired only their agency-issued weapons.
A CNN analysis of available footage suggests that an officer appeared to remove Pretti’s firearm from his waistband shortly before the shooting occurred. The report further notes that after the shots were fired, a Border Patrol agent confirmed possession of Pretti’s weapon.
“The BPA subsequently cleared and secured Pretti’s firearm in his vehicle,” the report says.
Immediately following the shooting, CBP personnel attempted life-saving measures at the scene.
“CBP personnel cut Pretti’s clothing and provided medical aid to him by placing chest seals on his wounds,” the report states.
The DHS document also outlines events preceding the deadly encounter. According to investigators, a Border Patrol officer was first “confronted by two female civilians blowing whistles.” The officer ordered the women to move out of the roadway, but they refused to comply, the report says. The officer then pushed both women away, after which one ran toward a man later identified as 37-year-old Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a U.S. citizen.
Officers subsequently attempted to detain Pretti.
“Pretti resisted CBP personnel’s efforts, and a struggle ensued,” the report reiterates.
More than ten minutes after Pretti was shot, Minneapolis Fire Department Emergency Medical Services transported him to Hennepin County Medical Center. He was pronounced dead at approximately 9:32 a.m., according to the report.
CBP investigators were informed that an autopsy would be conducted by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner’s Office, and the agency said it would request the official findings once the examination is complete.
This report represents the first set of findings from CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility, which is tasked with investigating potential criminal conduct involving CBP personnel. Additional investigations remain ongoing, including probes by DHS Homeland Security Investigations and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.
Separately, the Department of Homeland Security is reviewing whether an accidental discharge of Alex Pretti’s firearm may have played a role in the fatal shooting during the federal immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis on Jan. 24, according to officials familiar with the inquiry.
Initial statements from federal authorities described Pretti as armed during the encounter, the New York Post reported. Investigators are now examining whether Pretti’s handgun may have discharged unintentionally during the physical struggle, potentially causing agents to believe they were under immediate threat.
Officials are analyzing video evidence, forensic findings, and witness statements to determine whether a gunshot occurred before agents returned fire.
“It was 100% an accidental discharge by the agent that relieved that person of their weapon. Because everyone’s guns were out, they think that there’s a shooting,” one source said.
As the investigations continue, the case underscores the dangers federal law enforcement officers face during volatile enforcement operations—and the importance of establishing a clear factual record amid politically charged narratives and viral footage.