Minneapolis Shooting: Questions Mount as Feds Block Local Access

ByRhonda Barber
Individuals meet at Red Arrow Park during an emergency protest organized by the Milwaukee branch of the Party for Socialism and Liberation in response to another Minneapolis shooting by federal agents, on Saturday January 24, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

It feels like the temperature in Minneapolis just keeps rising, and we are certainly not talking about the weather. The latest heartbreak involves the death of a 37-year-old local man, Alex Pretti. This wasn’t a criminal on the run. Pretti was an ICU nurse who spent his days saving lives, and a member of the AFGE union. He was an American citizen and an alleged lawful gun owner. Yet, on Saturday morning, January 24, in Minneapolis, he ended up dead at the hands of a federal agent.

Who was Alex Pretti?

The loss of life is always heavy, but when it’s someone dedicated to care—like a nurse—it hits the community. Pretti wasn’t just a headline; he was a son, a worker, and a part of the fabric of this city. The nurses union is speaking out, devastated by the loss of one of their own. It breaks your heart to think about his family waiting for answers that seem to be getting harder to find.

But here is where things get strange, and where you have to start asking the tough questions.

Federal Overreach in the Minneapolis Shooting Investigation

State investigators were reportedly blocked from the crime scene. Drew Evans, the superintendent of the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), stated plainly that his agents were denied access by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

The local authorities had a signed search warrant from a judge. In over 20 years, Evans says he has never seen a federal agency deny local investigators access like this. Since when does a federal badge override a judge’s warrant? It left a scene that state investigators were not allowed to see.

A City on Lockdown

Now, we have the Minnesota National Guard activated and roaming our streets, providing “depth” to local law enforcement. The Timberwolves game is postponed. The city is locking down. Gov. Walz says the feds are trying to “spin” the narrative.

One thing is for certain: there was another Minneapolis shooting, involving a lawful citizen, and the immediate reaction from the feds does not meet the expedtatations of many in the city. Both sides will now spin. We don’t need spin. We need the truth, and it is really hard to find right now. But we must keep asking the hard questions until the truth is revealed.

Rhonda Barber is a writer, communicator, and founder of a family-centered nonprofit that serves children and their communities. She writes about faith and practical everyday living, and is currently preparing to release her first children’s book. Rhonda is married with kids and grandkids, and enjoys adding joy to life as a professional clown.