Federal Judge Orders Evidence Preservation in Minneapolis Police Shooting

A federal judge has issued a temporary restraining order compelling federal authorities to preserve all evidence related to the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis, marking an escalation in jurisdictional tensions between state and federal law enforcement agencies.U.S. District Court Judge Eric Tostrud granted the emergency motion filed Saturday night by the Hennepin County Attorney's Office and Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, following federal officials' repeated refusal to allow state investigators access to crime scenes involving federal agents.The legal intervention comes after Homeland Security officials blocked state investigators from examining the scene where Pretti was killed, mirroring similar federal obstruction following the earlier shooting death of Renee Good by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent this month."We definitely have concerns that we'll never get access to evidence, or if we do, it will be destroyed or altered," Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty stated, emphasizing her office's jurisdiction over potential state law violations by federal agents.The case highlights broader constitutional questions about federal versus state authority in law enforcement oversight. Federal agents have systematically prevented state investigations into two separate fatal shootings within weeks, prompting unprecedented legal action from local prosecutors.Moriarty's office has established an online portal for community members to submit evidence, reporting "substantial" submissions with "relevant" materials in both cases. The initiative represents an unconventional approach to evidence gathering amid federal non-cooperation.Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey have publicly called on the Trump administration to permit state investigations, but federal authorities continue blocking access. A hearing scheduled for Monday will allow federal representatives to present their position on the restraining order.The jurisdictional standoff underscores growing tensions between federal immigration enforcement priorities and state-level accountability mechanisms, with potential implications for law enforcement oversight nationwide.