In the wake of the tragic shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti during a clash with U.S. Border Patrol agents in Minneapolis, legal proceedings have swiftly emerged. Within a day of the incident, a Minnesota District Court judge has already issued a temporary restraining order (TRO) as part of a burgeoning lawsuit.

This legal drama underscores an ongoing tension between state and local entities and federal authorities. The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office filed a lawsuit on Saturday afternoon against Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem, other DHS officials, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi, and FBI Director Kash Patel. The 11-page complaint accuses federal officials of obstructing the BCA’s investigation into the shooting, and seeks judicial intervention to resolve the matter.

Representing the BCA and the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office, Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, through his office, has signed the complaint. Alongside the lawsuit, the plaintiffs have filed a motion for a TRO, aiming for immediate relief to continue their investigation without federal interference.

a) Declare that Defendants’ ongoing denial of Plaintiffs’ access to evidence relevant to the fatal shooting on January 24, 2026, is unconstitutional and unlawful;

b) Preliminarily and permanently enjoin Defendants from destroying, altering, or concealing any such evidence;

c) Preliminarily and permanently enjoin Defendants from continuing to deny Plaintiffs access to any such evidence;

d) Award the Plaintiffs their costs and reasonable attorneys’ fees; and

e) Order such other and further relief as this Court deems just and appropriate.

The complaint is signed by Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison (specifically, officials in his office) on behalf of the BCA, as well as the Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. In conjunction with the complaint, plaintiffs also filed a motion for TRO, seeking immediate relief.