Hennepin County Gains Federal ICE Shooting Evidence, Opening Path to Agent Charges in 3 Cases
Updated
Updated · CBS New York · Jul 20
Hennepin County Gains Federal ICE Shooting Evidence, Opening Path to Agent Charges in 3 Cases
3 articles · Updated · CBS New York · Jul 20
Summary
For the first time since the shootings, Hennepin County prosecutors have received federal investigative evidence in the ICE-related killings probe, putting them in position to assess criminal charges against agents.
Five weeks of talks broke a winter stalemate after federal investigators had refused to cooperate and the county attorney’s office moved in March to force the evidence’s release.
Mary Moriarty said the material includes many agent statements, and her team is reviewing it as the Minnesota cases could shape responses to 2 other recent ICE-agent killings in Texas and California.
Texas prosecutors have already contacted Moriarty’s office because the Minnesota cases are unusually structured and may offer a model for pursuing local charges against federal agents.
Any charged agents are expected to seek federal court, where they must show they acted within job authority and would face a statewide Minnesota jury pool rather than one drawn only from Hennepin County.
Why did top federal prosecutors resign en masse during a deadly immigration operation in Minneapolis?
After a deadly federal surge, will the agents who killed two civilians now face local justice?
Six Months of Stonewalling: How Federal Withholding of Evidence Delayed Justice in the Alex Pretti Shooting During Operation Metro Surge
Overview
After months of public demand and stalled progress due to federal reluctance, Minnesota investigators finally gained access to crucial evidence in July 2026. This breakthrough allowed the Hennepin County Attorney’s office, led by Mary Moriarty, to advance its investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti. The evidence transfer followed six months of persistent efforts by state officials and community calls for transparency and accountability. With this new access, investigators can now move forward in seeking answers for families and the community, marking a pivotal step toward justice in a case that had been delayed by withheld information.