Full Breakdown
Evidence Transfer Marks New Phase in Minnesota ICE Shooting Investigations
7/14/2026, 4:46:33 AM
Core Development
Federal investigators have delivered “all of the evidence” related to three January 2026 shootings that occurred during the Trump administration’s Operation Metro Surge in Minneapolis. The material includes hard-drive copies of statements, body-camera video and the damaged Honda Pilot that belonged to Renee Good, as well as other physical evidence tied to the deaths of Good (Jan. 7), Alex Pretti (Jan. 24) and Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis (Jan. 14). Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced that state prosecutors are now reviewing the voluminous files, though no charging decisions have been announced.
Background & Context
Operation Metro Surge was billed as the largest immigration-enforcement effort in U.S. history, deploying thousands of ICE agents to the Twin Cities. The campaign sparked nightly protests; during two of them, Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot while leaving a protest, and Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive-care nurse, was killed weeks later while observing officers. A third incident involved ICE agent Christian Castro shooting Sosa-Celis, a Venezuelan national, through a front door on Jan. 14. At least nine people have died since the crackdown began, and no federal officers have been charged in the Good or Pretti shootings.
Key Figures & Groups
- Mary Moriarty, Hennepin County Attorney, leading the state investigation.
- Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General, co-plaintiff in the lawsuit demanding evidence.
- Drew Evans, Superintendent, Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, who described the FBI’s refusal to share evidence as “concerning and unprecedented.”
- Federal agencies: U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
- Christian Castro, ICE agent charged with assault and false reporting for the Sosa-Celis shooting.
Data & Statistics
- January 7, 2026 – Renee Good shot in her vehicle.
- January 14, 2026 – Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis shot in the thigh; Castro later charged with four counts of second-degree assault and one count of false reporting.
- January 24, 2026 – Alex Pretti shot dead by two federal agents identified by ProPublica as Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa and CBP officer Raymundo Gutierrez.
- Six months elapsed between the shootings and the transfer of evidence.
Official Statements & Responses
Moriarty emphasized the significance of the transfer: “The wonderful thing now is we have all the evidence,” and pledged a thorough review, noting that “this analysis is ongoing. It will be thorough, fair, and complete.” Attorney General Ellison called the sharing “a positive development” but warned that “the people of Minnesota expect and deserve a complete, transparent, and independent investigation.” Federal officials have not commented on the specifics of the newly released materials.
Criticism & Opposition
State officials have repeatedly accused the federal government of obstruction. In a February statement, Evans said the FBI’s refusal to share evidence was “unprecedented.” Ellison’s statements underscore the grievance: “It should never have taken this long for Minnesota law enforcement to gain access to the federal government’s evidence,” and “I remain deeply troubled that the federal government spent more than half a year attempting to conceal this evidence from state investigators.”
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- The identities of the ICE officers involved in Good’s and Pretti’s deaths remain undisclosed; federal agencies have not confirmed the agents’ names.
- In parallel cases in Houston and Maine, local prosecutors have reported similar difficulties obtaining ICE-related evidence, indicating a broader pattern of limited federal cooperation.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The wonderful thing now is we have all the evidence,” — Mary Moriarty, Hennepin County Attorney
- “This analysis is ongoing. It will be thorough, fair, and complete. We are committed to seeing this through, to making a decision and being transparent about it no matter where the evidence takes us,” — Mary Moriarty
- “It should never have taken this long for Minnesota law enforcement to gain access to the federal government's evidence surrounding the killings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti and the shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis.” — Keith Ellison, Minnesota Attorney General
- “I remain deeply troubled that the federal government spent more than half a year attempting to conceal this evidence from state investigators, and I hope this is the beginning of a major course correction on the part of the federal government.” — Keith Ellison
- “We did get the hard drives from our federal partners that includes statements, body-worn cameras we got and the BCA currently has Renee Good's car that is being analyzed,” — Mary Moriarty
What’s Next
State prosecutors have indicated that the review of the hard drives and physical evidence will continue, with any charging decisions pending the outcome of the analysis. The lawsuit filed in March remains active, and Minnesota officials have signaled they will seek summary judgment once the evidence review is complete.
