Report identifies federal immigration officers involved in Alex Pretti shooting at Minneapolis protest on January 24
Federal agents’ identities emerge as investigations continue
Two federal immigration officers have been identified in connection with the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti during a protest in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026, as multiple investigations examine the use of force and the federal government’s actions in the immediate aftermath.
Pretti, 37, was a U.S. citizen and an intensive-care nurse employed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. He was killed during a confrontation involving federal personnel operating as part of an immigration enforcement surge that has placed armed federal agents in Minneapolis and surrounding communities since late 2025.
What is known about the shooting
The shooting occurred near the intersection of 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. Publicly circulated bystander videos and written witness accounts have become central to competing narratives about what preceded the gunfire. Federal officials initially asserted that Pretti posed a threat and that an officer fired in self-defense. Video reviewed by multiple news organizations has been described as showing Pretti holding a phone moments before he was taken to the ground, and it appears to show officers separating him from a handgun prior to shots being fired.
Local and state officials have said they are investigating the killing and have raised concerns about limited federal cooperation in the early stages of evidence collection and interviews. Federal authorities have cited safety concerns in declining to publicly confirm the names of involved agents.
Identified officers and employment history
The identified officers are Jesus Ochoa and Raymundo Gutierrez, both affiliated with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Reports tying them to the incident rely on federal records and internal documentation reviewed by investigators and journalists. Authorities have not released a public accounting of which officer fired which rounds.
Two agents involved in the shooting have been placed on administrative leave while investigations proceed.
Broader context: Operation Metro Surge and heightened tensions
Pretti’s death occurred during what federal officials have described as a major immigration enforcement initiative in Minneapolis known as Operation Metro Surge. The operation has drawn sustained criticism from city and state leaders and has been followed by protests and community-based monitoring of immigration enforcement activity.
Earlier in January, another Minneapolis resident, Renée Nicole Macklin Good, 37, was fatally shot during a separate encounter involving an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer. That shooting, along with the Pretti case, intensified scrutiny of federal enforcement tactics and the transparency of post-incident disclosures.
Investigations underway
State and local law enforcement investigations are ongoing in Minnesota.
The U.S. Department of Justice has opened a civil rights investigation into the Pretti shooting.
Public debate continues over federal disclosure practices, including whether agencies should release names and disciplinary histories of involved personnel during active investigations.
Key unresolved questions include the precise sequence of actions immediately before the shots, the chain of command at the scene, and what evidence was collected—and when—by different agencies.
No criminal charges have been announced as of February 2, 2026.