(In a defiant address from a federal office building in St. Paul, Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino warned the public on Monday, January 26, 2026, that anyone who “interferes” with federal operations will face the consequences, even as his agents continue to physically block state investigators from the site where Alex Pretti was killed.)
Bovino, the tactical lead for Operation Metro Surge, urged protesters and citizens to not “interfere, obstruct, delay or assault law enforcement” as tensions in the Twin Cities reach a breaking point. While he described the shooting of the 37-year-old ICU nurse as a “preventable tragedy,” he doubled down on the narrative that Pretti “made the choice” to inject himself into an active crime scene while armed. Bovino dismissed the “freeze-frame concept”—referring to viral videos showing Pretti was disarmed before being shot—stating, “That, folks, is why we have something called an investigation”.
The warning comes as a legal standoff intensifies between the state and federal governments:
- Evidence Blockade: Federal agents have reportedly refused to honor a state search warrant, physically preventing the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) from accessing the shooting scene.
- State Lawsuit: Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison filed an emergency lawsuit to prevent the destruction of evidence, stating that “federal agents are not above the law”.
- Federal Rebuttal: DHS has dismissed the state’s concerns as a “ridiculous attempt to divide the American people”.
As Governor Tim Walz calls the federal version of events “despicable,” a federal judge has given the Trump Administration until this afternoon to respond to the order to preserve all evidence related to the 10 shots fired at Pretti.
