Four federally indicted after Minneapolis clashes, including alleged fingertip bite and threats against FBI employees

Federal indictments tie two January incidents to unrest around immigration enforcement in Minneapolis

Four people have been indicted in federal court in connection with two separate January episodes in Minneapolis that authorities say escalated from protest activity into violence and threats targeting federal law enforcement personnel.

The cases stem from (1) an alleged assault on a federal officer during a Jan. 24 crowd confrontation near Nicollet Avenue in south Minneapolis, and (2) threats directed at FBI employees after a Jan. 14 incident in which government vehicles were vandalized and items were stolen, including materials containing personal information.

Jan. 24: Assault allegation during protest after Alex Pretti killing

A federal grand jury indicted Claire Louise Feng, 27, of St. Paul, on a charge alleging assault on a federal officer resulting in injury. Prosecutors allege Feng bit off the tip of an officer’s finger during a struggle as federal officers attempted to arrest another person near a secured area.

Court filings describe officers trying to control Feng’s arms as she was taken to the ground, followed by a bite through a glove to the officer’s ring finger. The documents say the severed fingertip was later found inside the glove and the officer obtained medical treatment.

The confrontation occurred amid demonstrations following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal immigration agents earlier that day in south Minneapolis. The killing triggered immediate protests and drew broad scrutiny of federal enforcement tactics and crowd-control measures used at the scene.

Jan. 14: Threat cases tied to stolen information after vehicle break-ins

Three other indictments involve alleged threats directed at FBI employees after a Jan. 14 incident in which FBI personnel left two vehicles during unrest and the vehicles were later vandalized and broken into. Federal court documents describe multiple items stolen from the vehicles, including law enforcement credentials and materials containing identifying information for FBI employees.

Authorities say that after the information was posted online, FBI employees received threatening communications by phone and electronic messages.

• Brenna Marie Doyle, 18, of Spokane, Washington, is charged with threatening to murder a federal law enforcement officer, threatening the officer’s family, and transmitting threats across state lines.
• James Patrick Lyons, 45, of California, is charged with five counts of transmitting threats across state lines.
• Jose Alberto Ramirez, 29, of Illinois, is charged with one count of transmitting threats across state lines.

What the indictments do—and do not—establish

An indictment is a formal accusation by a grand jury. The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in court.

The cases are proceeding in federal court, where prosecutors must prove each charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt. Defense attorneys have signaled that they intend to contest the allegations, and plea proceedings and evidence disclosures are expected to shape the timeline toward hearings and potential trials.

Separately, the January incidents have intensified attention on how federal immigration operations are conducted in the Twin Cities and how rapidly street-level confrontations can translate into criminal investigations extending well beyond Minnesota.