Tag: minnesota

Two Border Patrol agents opened fire at Alex Pretti in Minneapolis after he was disarmed, government report states

A new Border Patrol report says that two agents fired the ten shots at Alex Pretti that killed him and does not mention the gun owner taking out his gun.

Pretti, 37, was shot dead in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Saturday during a targeted immigration enforcement operation.

Following the shooting, DHS and Border Patrol officials portrayed Pretti as an instigator who ‘brandished’ a weapon at officers. 

However, a new government report that was sent to Congress on Tuesday claims that while an officer shouted that Pretti had a gun, it does not mention Pretti having taken it out. 

The law requires the agency to inform relevant congressional committees about deaths in CBP custody within 72 hours. 

Investigators from CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility conducted the analysis based on a review of body-worn camera footage and agency documentation, the notice said. 

The agency is required to report in-custody and certain other deaths involving its agents and officers to Congress. 

Officials said that at around 9am Saturday, CBP agents were faced with several protesters ‘yelling and blowing whistles’ at the officers, while also blocking the roadway at the intersection of 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue.

After making ‘several verbal requests’ for the protesters to stop, CBP claims two women confronted the agents while blowing whistles. They were ordered to get out of the roadway but refused. 

They said that the women were then ‘pushed away’ and one of the ran to Pretti, with both again refusing to leave the roadways. 

The officer then deployed pepper spray at both of them, while attempting to arrest Pretti.

‘CBP personnel attempted to take Pretti into custody. Pretti resisted CBP personnel’s efforts and a struggle ensued,’ the report claims. 

‘During the struggle, a (Border Patrol agent) yelled, ‘He’s got a gun!’ multiple times.’

The report continues: ‘Approximately five seconds later, a (Border Patrol agent) discharged his CBP-issued Glock 19 and a (Customs and Border Protection officer) also discharged his CBP-issued Glock 47 at Pretti.’ 

Within five seconds, one agent and one officer discharged the shots, with one using a Glock 19 and the other a Glock 47. 

An agent took possession of Pretti’s gun and cleared and secured it shortly after the shooting. 

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Alex Pretti broke rib in violent confrontation with ICE just days before he was shot dead in Minneapolis

Alex Pretti had been injured in a scuffle with federal agents in Minneapolis just one week before he was shot dead, it has emerged.

Pretti, 37, was left with a broken rib after being tackled by a group of officers during a protest against Donald Trump‘s immigration crackdown, a source told CNN.

The alleged assault occurred after Pretti stopped his car after seeing Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers chasing a family on foot, the insider said. 

Pretti allegedly began shouting and blowing a whistle, and was then tackled to the ground by five agents. The source claimed one officer leaned on his back, causing his ribs to break. 

The ICU nurse, who allegedly ‘thought he was going to die’, was reportedly released at the scene – but allegedly remained on federal agents’ radar.

Agents deployed in Minneapolis were instructed earlier this month to ‘capture all images, license plates, identifications, and general information on hotels, agitators, protestors,’ according to documents obtained by the outlet. 

Federal officers are understood to have kept documented details about Pretti, although it is unclear when they first started collecting information on him. 

He was shot dead by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis on Saturday.

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Kash Patel Announces Investigation Into MN Anti-ICE Operations: They ‘Should Be Worried’

Benny Johnson described what he characterized as breaking news involving a federal investigation into Signal chat groups during an exchange with Kash Patel.

Johnson said, “Okay, so this is breaking news. So you are you in the FBI and perhaps other intelligence agencies are fully aware of this coordinated effort to attack federal law enforcement, to impede them and potentially insurrect And so there is now an open investigation into these into these chats and into this coordinated network.”

Johnson continued by describing the reactions of individuals involved in the chats, stating, “Some of them are fleeing. Some of them are very scared. Now you can see their chats. They’re very, very worried now that they have been exposed.”

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Trump admin refers Minnesota case to DOJ over transgender athletes in girls’ sports

The Trump administration on Monday moved toward stripping federal funding from Minnesota by referring its investigation into alleged Title IX violations involving transgender athletes competing in girls’ and women’s sports to the Department of Justice for enforcement.

The civil rights offices at the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services said the Minnesota Department of Education and the Minnesota State High School League have refused to comply with Title IX requirements by “allowing men to compete in women’s sports and occupy women’s intimate facilities.”

“Despite repeated opportunities to comply with Title IX, Minnesota has chosen defiance — continuing to jeopardize the safety of women and girls, deny them fair competition, and erode their right to equal access in educational programs and activities,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement.

McMahon also linked the referral to broader criticism of state leadership. “As Minnesota reels from a massive fraud scandal exposing Gov. Tim Walz’s dereliction of duty, today’s referral to DOJ underscores the state’s ongoing failure to safeguard its citizens and uphold the rule of law,” she said.

A joint federal investigation concluded in September that both the state education department and the high school sports league violated Title IX’s ban on sex discrimination by permitting males to compete in multiple female sports programs and use female-only locker rooms and facilities. Investigators offered Minnesota a proposed resolution agreement that would have allowed the state to voluntarily resolve the findings.

The Education Department said Minnesota indicated in December that it would neither accept the agreement nor negotiate its terms. Since then, federal officials say the state has taken no action to address the violations.

“Minnesota is violating Title IX, and we will not look the other way,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said. “When states allow males to compete in girls’ sports, they deny young women and girls the protections the law guarantees.”

The referral follows a February executive order signed by President Donald Trump directing federal agencies to enforce Title IX protections based on biological sex. The order authorizes agencies to review and, if necessary, withhold federal funding from schools and programs found to be out of compliance.

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ICE Agents Regain Authority After Appeals Court Reverses Minnesota Ruling

The Trump administration won a significant legal victory Monday after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit overturned a lower court ruling that had restricted how federal immigration agents could respond to anti-ICE protests in Minnesota, as reported by Fox News.

In a decision issued by a three-judge panel, the Eighth Circuit granted a full stay of a prior injunction that limited the ability of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to arrest, detain, pepper-spray, or otherwise respond to protesters in Minneapolis without probable cause.

The ruling allows ICE agents to continue enforcement operations without the protest-specific constraints imposed earlier this month.

The appeals court reviewed video evidence that had also been examined by the lower court and reached a different conclusion about the conduct of protesters.

“We accessed and viewed the same videos the district court did,” the panel wrote.

“What they show is observers and protesters engaging in a wide range of conduct, some of it peaceful but much of it not. They also show federal agents responding in various ways.”

The case stems from a lawsuit filed by six protesters who alleged that federal authorities violated their civil rights while carrying out immigration enforcement operations in the Twin Cities area.

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Mayhem In Minneapolis

The riots in Minneapolis have escalated in recent weeks in response to two shootings involving ICE and Border Patrol agents reacting to violent agitators who were either armed or attempting to inflict severe bodily injury upon law enforcement.

In both scenarios, Renee Good and Alex Pretti were attempting to obstruct law enforcement from carrying out their official duties.

They were unquestionably in the wrong.  In the case of Renee Good, an ICE agent acted out of self-defense when she tried to run him over with her car.  Video evidence clearly showed Good as being the aggressor.

For Pretti, video evidence also confirms that he arrived at the scene as an agitator who tried to interrupt or obstruct the deportation operation from taking place.

A Border Patrol agent responded to an imminent threat to life, and video evidence supports this, with Pretti pictured showing up at the scene of the incident, claiming to be armed and with the intention to “massacre” ICE and CBP agents, as he motioned toward what looked like a weapon of some kind.

Both deaths are tragic.  But they are tragic not in the way the legacy media would like Americans to believe, they are tragic because they could have been avoided but for the irresponsible management of these situations by political leadership.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey failed their state and city, respectively.  Rather than lower the temperature, both leaders added to the inflammatory rhetoric, which had the effect of inciting the crowd and causing more unnecessary mayhem.

The only reason there is a national spotlight on ICE and Border Patrol nowadays is because deportations are a core component of President Trump’s domestic policy agenda, and arguably the top one or two reasons why he won a landslide election victory in November of 2024.

Americans simply dislike illegal immigration.  They especially dislike it on the unspeakable scale that was allowed to take place under the four years Joe Biden served as president, resulting in an unprecedented border invasion that resulted in at least 20 million illegal aliens entering the homeland.

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Who Is Funding and Organizing the Minnesota Riots?

As anti-ICE riots escalate in Minneapolis, the activist group Defend 612 has mobilized tens of thousands of supporters through encrypted communication networks to disrupt federal operations. An investigation into the group reveals a complex funding structure linking Defend 612 to liberal foundations, shell entities, politicians, and third-party organizations, some of which ultimately trace back to billionaire George Soros.

Defend 612 is a Minneapolis-based activist group that provides anti-ICE “know your rights” training, organizes and supports protests, and maintains a decentralized rapid-response network designed to interfere with ICE enforcement in real time. Its tactics include sending alerts through encrypted Signal chats, following ICE vehicles, swarming enforcement sites with observers and protesters, and whistle-blowing to warn potential targets.

On its website, Defend 612 claims that since the government launched “Operation Metro Surge” in the Twin Cities, “Somali, Latinx, and immigrant communities have faced relentless harassment, intimidation, abduction, detention, and deportation.” The group’s use of the term “abduction” rather than “arrest” reflects standard activist framing.

While Defend 612 does not argue that those targeted are legally present, it nonetheless seeks to shield illegal aliens from arrest and deportation, opposing the core function of immigration enforcement.

Defend 612 operates under fiscal sponsorship by Cooperation Cannon River (CCR), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Northfield, Minnesota (EIN: 82-0852275). Under this arrangement, CCR handles donations, financial management, and tax-exempt status on Defend 612’s behalf, allowing the group to operate without incorporating independently. Defend 612’s website directs donations to CCR, which describes its mission as supporting “social and environmental justice” initiatives.

In January 2026, watchdog groups including the Center for American Security and Advocacy (CASA) and the Functional Government Initiative filed IRS complaints alleging that Defend 612’s activities may violate CCR’s tax-exempt status by promoting interference with federal agents and encouraging potentially illegal actions.

CCR reported revenue of approximately $249,000 in its most recent IRS Form 990 filing for fiscal year 2024, reflecting significant growth from earlier filings showing net income and net assets of $48,409 in 2020.

CCR’s funding comes primarily from general contributions and foundation grants. Public filings list no program service revenue, significant direct government funding, or investment income, though indirect federal and state funding appears to flow through the broader network.

In December 2023, The Solutions Project awarded $50,000 to CCR through its Fund for Frontline Power, as documented in Cause IQ records and reported by Alpha News. The Solutions Project, co-founded by actor Mark Ruffalo and led by Gloria Walton, supports climate justice organizations, often emphasizing groups led by women of color, immigrants, and Indigenous communities.

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Somali Member of Minnesota House of Representatives Uses Doctored Image of Alex Pretti in Memorial Tribute

Minnesota State Representative Mohamud Noor has come under fire for using what appears to be an AI-enhanced or filtered image of Alex Pretti, the armed man shot by a federal agent in Minneapolis over the weekend, in a social media memorial post.

The bizarrely altered photo appears to have been manipulated to make Pretti look more attractive.

Pretti, 37, was fatally shot after he engaged in a scuffle with federal agents who were in the middle of an immigration enforcement operation.

Noor, a Democrat who represents District 60B in the Minnesota House, posted a tribute to Pretti on X, writing:

“Words can’t describe our pain. Our hearts are broken, but our spirit is strong. Alex Pretti was killed standing for his neighbors. This has to stop. Our community deserves safety, transparency, and accountability. RIP Alex.”

However, the image he used bears absolutely no resemblance to the original. It appeared he used AI tools or heavy filters to “enhance” Pretti’s appearance, making him look more conventionally attractive by smoothing his skin, thickening his hair, and altering facial features.

Naturally, Noor was absolutely blasted in the replies and quote posts.

“Why are you guys trying to make him better looking through AI and filters? That’s actually twisted,” one user wrote.

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ICE Takes Out the Trash Tim Walz Ignored, 3,400 Murderers, Rapists, and Gangsters Removed

An ICE official said federal agents are carrying out an ongoing operation in Minnesota focused on arresting dangerous criminal illegal aliens to prevent further harm to local communities, pushing back against what he described as efforts by politicians, activists, and the media to create fear and confusion.

Marcos Charles said the operation is centered on public safety and removing individuals with serious criminal histories from Minnesota communities.

He criticized what he described as deliberate chaos driven by sanctuary politicians and activists, arguing that it undermines community trust and obscures the purpose of enforcement actions.

“When sanctuary politicians, activists and the media work hard to create chaos and fear instead of using their platforms to reassure their communities, this is the result,” Charles said.

Charles said the goal of the operation is straightforward: arrest criminal illegal aliens so they cannot continue to victimize innocent people.

He said the effort has been ongoing throughout the week and has already resulted in thousands of arrests statewide.

“The reality is, and this is what commander Bovino and I have been talking about all week. All week, we’re out here to arrest dangerous criminal illegal aliens so they can’t victimize innocent people in our communities anymore,” Charles said.

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Rioter Arrested After Laying Traps to Disable ICE Vehicles

The Department of Homeland Security has announced the arrest of an anti-ICE agitator who was reportedly using caltrops to deflate federal vehicles.

The individual was apparently detained after obstructing law enforcement by employing homemade tire deflating devices. The objects were constructed using hose and large screws. Officials found a bag full of the devices in the individual’s possession during the arrest.

One individual online reported that MS Now briefly showed some of the caltrops in the roadway, but quickly cut away without mention.

Independent reporter Andy Ngo, who has widely covered riots in far-left cities, claimed on X that this move was ripped directly from the Antifa playbook.

“The rioters in Minnesota are using the Antifa tactics from 2020,” Ngo said on X. “Antifa distribute[d] guides on making these sharp nail devices. They were regularly thrown across streets in Portland to slow down [Portland police].

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