A federal judge has stepped in to stop the Trump administration from destroying or altering evidence tied to a deadly shooting in south Minneapolis, after state prosecutors sued to preserve materials connected to the death of Alex Pretti during an immigration enforcement operation.
The incident left a Minneapolis man dead after an encounter with Border Patrol agents, and Minnesota officials moved quickly to seek court protection for physical evidence while state and federal investigations proceed. The legal fight pits state prosecutors and investigators against federal agencies and raises questions about jurisdiction, preservation and transparency in use-of-force incidents. The ruling put a temporary judicial roadblock in place and set a hearing to sort out next steps.
Federal authorities say agents encountered Alex Pretti as part of an enforcement sweep and that he approached them armed with a 9 mm pistol, resisting attempts to disarm him. According to the Department of Homeland Security, agents used deadly force after he “violently resisted,” and medics pronounced him dead at the scene. Pretti served as an ICU nurse with the Department of Veterans Affairs, and his death has sparked intense local reaction.
State officials — including the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office and the Bureau of Criminal Apprehension — filed suit to block any destruction or tampering with evidence collected by federal personnel. The complaint targets multiple federal entities involved in immigration enforcement and asks the federal court to preserve everything tied to the operation. The motion sought a temporary restraining order to ensure that state investigators can access and evaluate the same materials federal teams hold.
U.S. District Judge Eric Tostrud granted a temporary injunction, ordering federal officials and anyone acting on their behalf not to destroy evidence taken from the scene or now in their exclusive custody. The order responds to state claims that they were previously denied inspection of materials, and the judge set a prompt hearing to review the matter further. That hearing will determine whether the injunction remains and how evidence-sharing will proceed between the layers of law enforcement involved.
“As I said earlier today, I will not rest, my team will not rest, until we have done everything in our power, everything within our authority, to achieve transparency and accountability,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a statement. Her office says this lawsuit is one of several moves to preserve state oversight and potential criminal review of the agents’ conduct.
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison framed the litigation around accountability, declaring that “federal agents are not above the law and Alex Pretti is certainly not beneath it.” He added, “A full, impartial, and transparent investigation into his fatal shooting at the hands of DHS agents is non-negotiable,” and emphasized that “Minnesota law enforcement is currently carrying out such an investigation, and it is essential that the evidence collected by federal agents is preserved and turned over to state officials. Today’s lawsuit aims to bar the federal government from destroying or tampering with any of the evidence they have collected.” Ellison closed with the assurance that “justice will be done.”
The Department of Homeland Security has said it will lead the federal inquiry into the shooting, which is standard when federal personnel are involved. Federal investigations and state criminal probes can run in parallel, but disputes over custody and access to evidence often complicate the process. The injunction buys time for courts to iron out which materials both sides can review and how those materials will be handled during competing probes.
The case comes amid a broader enforcement campaign known as Operation Metro Surge, an initiative tied to the Trump administration’s immigration push. The operation and its tactics have become flashpoints in Minneapolis, where local leaders and state prosecutors question the scope and impact of federal enforcement in urban neighborhoods. Supporters argue agencies are carrying out their duties to protect communities and enforce the law, while critics say aggressive operations risk civilian harm and undermine local policing priorities.
Pretti’s death has prompted a tense political and legal clash that reaches beyond one tragic encounter, touching on federalism, prosecutorial authority and the standards that govern use of force. With the court now safeguarding evidence, the next steps will play out in a hearing that could shape how state and federal teams cooperate going forward. For now, the injunction represents a judicial check meant to keep the facts intact while authorities on both sides pursue their investigations.
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