CAIR demands state investigation into fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents

MINNESOTA (TNND) — The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) is demanding that state and local law enforcement authorities investigate the shooting death of Alex Pretti by immigration enforcement officers in Minneapolis.

“I’m asking our city leadership plainly and publicly, where do you stand when your residents are afraid in their own neighborhoods?” Deputy Executive Director Suleiman Adan said during a Monday news conference.

This undated photo provided by Michael Pretti shows Alex J. Pretti, the man who was shot by a federal officer in Minneapolis on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026. (Michael Pretti via AP)

“We have heard what the city cannot do. We have heard what is outside of their authority. What people are still wondering to hear is what this city is willing to stand for,” Adan continued. “Minneapolis has moved before. Minneapolis has led before, and this moment is asking it to move again.”

Pretti was shot on Saturday by federal officers after he tried to defend a woman who had been shoved to the ground by agents, according to the advocacy group.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) defended the agent who shot Pretti, saying he fired “defensive shots” after Pretti approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun.

“The officers attempted to disarm the suspect, but the armed suspect violently resisted,” DHS stated.

However, CAIR-MN said many angles of the video showed that Pretti never touched his gun and was shown being removed by an officer from a holster in Pretti’s back belt “moments before he was shot repeatedly while motionless on the ground.”

Pretti’s family members confirmed he had a permit to carry a concealed weapon.

Drew Evans, who is the superintendent of Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), previously said the agency obtained a signed warrant to investigate, but DHS prevented BCA from accessing the scene.

“We call on Mayor Frey to order the Minneapolis Police Department to take control of the scene of the latest deadly ICE shooting, launch an independent criminal probe, and protect peaceful protesters at the scene from ICE violence,” CAIR wrote on social media Saturday after Pretti’s shooting. “Calling for ICE to leave is not enough. This shooting happened on a city street in the jurisdiction of the Minneapolis law enforcement and they must lead an independent investigation into what appears to be another horrific, unnecessary execution of a Minneapolis resident.”

Earlier this month, CAIR-MN also called for an independent and transparent investigation into the ICE-involved fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good.

Minnesota and the cities of St. Paul and Minneapolis sued DHS after the death of Good, seeking to block the major immigration enforcement, dubbed Operation Metro Surge, push by the Trump administration.

Gov. Tim Walz confirmed he spoke with President Donald Trump on Monday and had a productive conversation where he explained that his staff doesn’t have their facts straight about the state.

Trump said he had a “very good call” with Walz, who requested they work together and seemed to be “on a similar wavelength.”

“I told Governor Walz that I would have Tom Homan call him, and that what we are looking for are any and all criminals that they have in their possession,” the president wrote in an update on X.