The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension and FBI are set to announce a joint investigation into the killing of Alex Pretti, according to two people with direct knowledge of the agreement.
The deal marks a critical compromise from the Trump administration as state and federal leaders continue to rebuild working relationships after tensions exploded during Operation Metro Surge. The agreement comes one day after White House border czar Tom Homan painted a picture of robust cooperation with state leaders including Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison as he announced a drawdown of 700 agents from the state.
“I’m actually amazed at the cooperation and agreements we have already talked about,” Homan said Feb. 4. “And the willingness to work with us.”
Messages were left with the FBI and BCA seeking comment Thursday night.
The shooting deaths of Renee Good and Pretti by federal agents have served as a rallying cry against what state law enforcement and politicians have called a campaign of retribution by the Trump administration aimed at Minnesota. Whether or not the state will also be given access to the federal investigative materials into the killing of Good remains unclear.
One of the most startling aspects of the tension between the state and federal government was the decision by the Justice Department to not allow the BCA Force Investigations Unit to have access to crime scene or investigative materials that were gathered by federal agents at both crime scenes — a decision that ruptured the longstanding cooperative relationship between the two agencies.
Homan’s arrival in Minnesota last week came with a drastic shift in rhetoric out of the federal and state governments. While both sides maintained defiant political postures, they said a renewed sense of cooperation was the only way to bring safety to Minnesota’s streets amid widespread demonstrations of civil disobedience and aggression from federal agents.
On multiple occasions since his arrival, Homan has said he does not want to see bloodshed on American streets, nor does President Donald Trump or Kristi Noem, the homeland security secretary.
