Noem blames armed victim for 'impeding' agents in deadly Minneapolis shooting

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the federal agents involved in the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti on Sunday, January 25, expressing sympathy for the victim’s parents while placing responsibility for the encounter on Pretti himself. Appearing on Fox News’ The Sunday Briefing, Noem said the confrontation occurred because Pretti, a concealed-carry permit holder, “impeded” an active law enforcement operation.

“I’m grieved for them. I truly am. I can’t even imagine losing a child,” Noem said of Pretti’s family. She went on to warn about conduct around federal officers. “We can’t have individuals that are impeding law enforcement operations and then showing up with guns and weapons and no ID and confronting law enforcement,” she added.

Blaming victim for aggressive interaction

Noem characterized Pretti’s actions as criminal, saying that “laying hands on law enforcement officers, clearly, is a crime.” When asked about First Amendment protections, she said individuals must comply when officers instruct them to “back off.”

Turning to gun ownership, Noem told reporters that lawful carriers, “Don’t go impede law enforcement operations.” She said Pretti “became aggressive and resisted” when agents tried to disengage during the Minneapolis confrontation. “Throughout that process, these officers used their training, followed their protocols, and were in fear for their lives,” Noem said, arguing the shooting was an act of self-defense. 

Local leaders abandoned downtown Minneapolis

The secretary accused city and state leaders of ceding control of the area. “The state and the city of Minneapolis abandoned this area in downtown Minneapolis because they couldn’t control the situation,” Noem said.

She described those in the streets as “violent rioters” seeking to disrupt federal operations, a narrative that sharply contrasts with Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara's account that federal officials initially blocked local police and investigators from accessing the shooting scene and limited state involvement despite a judicial warrant.

Fraud probe sparked violent protests

Noem also tied the unrest to federal financial investigations, asserting without evidence that violence began only after authorities uncovered fraud. “Frankly, this didn’t turn violent until we uncovered the fraud in Minneapolis,” she said. 

Echoing President Trump’s claims of a “cover up,” Noem said ICE and CBP have operated in the city for years without similar incidents. “We saw the violence start to happen when the fraud became uncovered,” she said, suggesting the protests stem from federal probes rather than enforcement tactics.

Commander backs Noem's controversial stance

Border Patrol Commander-at-Large Gregory Bovino supported Noem’s position in an interview on CNN’s State of the Union. “I do believe the Secretary is 100% spot on in what she said,” Bovino told Dana Bash. He said Pretti “injected himself into that crime scene” and acted with “intent to harm.”

When asked about a video showing that Pretti was disarmed before he was shot, Bovino declined to address specific frames. “We heard the law enforcement officer say, ‘Gun, gun, gun.’ So at some point they knew there was a gun,” he said. Noem also avoided addressing the sequence directly, saying only, “Every video will be analyzed.”