Deputy U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche reacts during a press conference at the Justice Department in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 30, 2026. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
(Washington, DC) – The Justice Department announced Friday it has opened a civil rights investigation into the killing of Alex Pretti, a Veterans Affairs nurse who was shot and killed by federal immigration agents in Minneapolis earlier this month.
Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the inquiry marks a shift from the Trump administration’s initial approach, which had limited the case to a narrower “use-of-force” review led by the Department of Homeland Security. Blanche said the FBI will now take the lead, with support from Justice Department civil rights attorneys, while a separate Homeland Security review will continue on a parallel track.
“We are looking at everything that would shed light on what happened that day,” Blanche said, adding that the department views the probe as a standard FBI investigation rather than a sweeping civil rights case.
The announcement follows growing political pressure and public backlash over Pretti’s death, as well as a series of recent arrests tied to an anti-ICE church protest in St. Paul. President Donald Trump has previously referred to Pretti as an “agitator,” comments that drew further criticism from protesters and some lawmakers.
Federal officials have not announced whether the investigation could lead to charges. The Justice Department has also declined to open a civil rights inquiry into the earlier killing of Renee Good, who was fatally shot by federal agents while driving in Minneapolis, saying cases are handled differently depending on the circumstances.
