Minnesota: Agents in Pretti shooting placed on leave — media

Two agents involved in the shooting of Alex Pretti have reportedly been placed on leave. Meanwhile, a suspect who targeted Democratic congresswoman Ilhan Omar has a criminal history and made pro-Trump posts, police say.

Here is our coverage surrounding the latest events in Minnesota on Wednesday, January 28, 2026:

US rockstar Bruce Springsteen released a new song expressing solidarity with the people of Minneapolis, with the tune also harshly criticizing President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown there. 

"It is dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good," he said in a statement, referring to two Americans who were killed by US immigration authorites this month in Minnesota.   

The song's hearkens back to his 1993 song "Streets of Philadephia."

It calls out "King Trump" and refers to "Miller and Noem's dirty lies." Top White House adviser Stephen Miller and US Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem both smeared Alex Pretti after his death by US Border Patrol last weekend.  

Springsteen belts out in the chorus: "Oh, our Minneapolis, I hear your voice / Crying through the bloody mist / We'll remember the names of those who dies / On the streets of Minneapolis."

White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson responded to the new protest anthem from "The Boss."

"The Trump Administration is focused on encouraging state and local Democrats to work with federal law enforcement officers on removing dangerous criminal illegal aliens from their communities — not random songs with irrelevant opinions and inaccurate information," Jackson said.   

Attorney General Pamela Bondi said in an X post that she is "on the ground" in Minneapolis.

She claimed that federal agents "arrested 16 Minnesota rioters for allegedly assaulting federal law enforcement — people who have been resisting and impeding our federal law enforcement agents."

At least two federal immigration agents who fired their weapons during the fatal shooting of US citizen Alex Pretti in Minneapolis over the weekend have been placed on administrative leave, US media reported on Wednesday, citing Department of Homeland Security (DHS) sources and standard post-shooting procedure.

Fox News and MS NOW reported the DHS move as part of routine protocol while investigations into the January 24 encounter continue.

The shooting was the second fatal encounter this month between federal immigration agents and US citizens in Minnesota.

US Customs and Border Protection said it is reviewing the shooting as part of ongoing inquiries.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

A man who squirted an unknown substance on Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar during a Minneapolis town hall event on Tuesday has a criminal record and has posted online in support of US President Donald Trump.

Police said the 55-year-old suspect used a syringe to spray liquid at Omar, who Trump has vehemently criticized on several occasions. Officers tackled and arrested him, jailing him on a preliminary third-degree assault charge.

Court records show the man was convicted of felony auto theft in 1989, has multiple DUI arrests, and numerous traffic citations, and filings indicate financial trouble, including two bankruptcies.

The man had not been formally charged or scheduled for an initial court appearance as of Wednesday morning; the Hennepin County Attorney's Office has until Thursday to file charges and could seek an extension, and the public defender’s office said the case has not been assigned.

In social media posts, the suspect described himself as a former network engineer in Minneapolis, criticized former President Joe Biden, and labeled Democrats "angry and liars."

In one post, he wrote, "Trump wants the US is stronger and more prosperous," adding calls to stop other countries from "stealing from us" and threatening violence. He also made racist posts about the US Civil War and slavery.

US President Donald Trump has warned Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey that he is "playing with fire" by refusing to have his city help with the Trump administration's federal immigration crackdown.

Trump told Frey that the city's refusal to cooperate with federal authorities in pursuing suspected illegal immigrants was "a very serious violation of the law."

The warning, posted on Trump's Truth Social account, appeared to contradict the 79-year-old Republican president’s earlier comment that he wanted to "de-escalate."

Hello readers, and thank you for joining us as we track developments related to the recent protests and violence in Minneapolis. Follow this blog for the latest updates.