DOJ says it opened civil rights investigation into Alex Pretti’s death

Blanche characterized the move as a routine step rather than an extraordinary escalation, describing it as a “standard investigation by the FBI when there are circumstances like what we saw last Saturday.” He said the FBI will lead the inquiry and that lawyers from the DOJ’s Civil Rights Division will be involved if the facts warrant their participation.

Community members look at a tribute to Alex Pretti, a Minneapolis nurse who was killed in a shooting by federal law enforcement on Jan. 24, 2026. (Anna Giaritelli/Washington Examiner)

The FBI said Friday it has assumed control of the investigation into Pretti’s death. The shift comes after the Department of Homeland Security initially assigned the investigation to DHS’s Investigations unit, an unusual decision that drew criticism from