Two federal officers discharged their firearms during the incident that resulted in the death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, according to a notification from a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official delivered to Congress. The officers attempted to apprehend Pretti, who resisted, leading to a physical altercation, as disclosed in the notification obtained by The Associated Press. Amid the struggle, a Border Patrol agent repeatedly shouted, “He’s armed!” The notice revealed that both a Border Patrol agent and a CBP officer discharged Glock pistols during the encounter. The investigation, conducted by CBP’s Office of Professional Responsibility, relied on body-worn camera footage and agency records, as mandated by law to report deaths in CBP custody to relevant congressional committees within 72 hours.
Following Pretti’s death, which marked the second fatal shooting by federal law enforcement in Minneapolis this month, U.S. President Donald Trump instructed border czar Tom Homan to oversee the immigration enforcement efforts in Minnesota. Trump expressed his intent to “de-escalate a bit” by sending Homan, noting Homan’s ability to collaborate effectively with governors and mayors, even in Democratic-leaning regions, during an interview on Fox News before leaving the White House. In response to queries about the justification of Pretti’s killing, Trump mentioned an ongoing “major investigation.” In the aftermath of the incident, some administration officials attempted to shift blame onto the deceased nurse, with Trump’s deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller hinting that CBP officers in Minneapolis might not have adhered to established protocols.
In a separate development, Ecuador’s foreign affairs minister lodged a complaint with the U.S. Embassy after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents attempted to enter the Ecuadorian consulate in Minneapolis without authorization. Video footage circulating on social media captured a consulate staffer confronting the ICE agents, affirming that they were not permitted to enter the consulate. An ICE officer can be heard issuing a warning to “grab” the staffer if touched before eventually agreeing to leave the premises.
International norms generally prohibit law enforcement agencies from entering foreign consulates or embassies without consent, except in life-threatening emergencies such as fires. The Ecuadorian ministry raised a formal protest with the U.S. Embassy to prevent similar unauthorized attempts at other consulates. At the time of reporting, responses from the State Department, Homeland Security, and ICE to requests for comments by The Associated Press were pending.