Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said Sunday that “facts won’t matter” in the fallout from a deadly U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) shooting that left one man dead and ignited fresh unrest across the city.
O’Hara made the remarks during an appearance on CBS’s Face The Nation, where he discussed the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti, a 37-year-old Minneapolis man who was killed during a federal immigration enforcement operation targeting a wanted illegal immigrant.
Video from the scene shows Pretti — who was armed with a 9mm handgun — reaching toward his waistband seconds before shots were fired. Federal officials say Pretti interfered with the operation, resisted agents’ orders, and “violently confronted” them while armed.
Despite those details, O’Hara dismissed the idea that a legally justified shooting would calm tensions. “Well, I’ve seen the videos, just as thousands of people around the country have,” O’Hara told host Margaret Brennan. “This is an individual that was a city resident. It appears that he was present, exercising his First Amendment rights to record law enforcement activity, and also exercising his Second Amendment rights to lawfully be armed in a public space in the city.”
He continued, “Even if there is an investigation that ultimately proves that at the time of the shooting it was legally justified, I don’t think that even matters at this point because there is so much outrage and concern around what is happening in the city.”
Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara: “Even if there is an investigation that ultimately proves that at the time of the shooting it was legally justified, I don’t even think that matters at this point because people are angry at ICE.”
If you cry hard enough, the law no longer… pic.twitter.com/dc5OiDCU0d
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) January 25, 2026
Pressed by Brennan to clarify, O’Hara said frustration has reached a breaking point. “People have had enough. This is the third shooting now in less than three weeks,” he said, blaming the federal government for the unrest. “People have been speaking out, saying that this was going to happen again… This is not sustainable.”
Federal officials gave a starkly different account. U.S. Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino said Pretti’s death occurred as agents attempted to arrest Jose Huerta-Chuma, an illegal immigrant with a record of domestic assault, disorderly conduct, and driving without a license.
According to Bovino, agents were ambushed by protesters who assaulted officers and derailed the operation, allowing Huerta-Chuma to escape. “This individual walks the streets today because of those choices made by politicians and those, perhaps, weaker-minded constituents that chose to follow directions of those politicians,” Bovino said at a press conference Sunday.
The scene quickly descended into chaos. Bovino confirmed that one ICE agent was permanently maimed after a protester bit off part of his finger during the confrontation.
ICE Executive Assistant Director Marcos Charles described the attack as “barbaric.” “A crowd of violent agitators tackled an ICE special agent on Saturday,” Charles said. “One protester literally bit off part of that agent’s finger. The officer is recovering but is now permanently maimed.”
The suspect, Huerta-Chuma, remains at large. Officials said the fugitive’s record includes “violent criminal offenses” and that federal teams are still attempting to locate him.
Bovino directly blamed Minneapolis city leadership for fueling the chaos. “We were forced to abandon a targeted operation because of the actions of local politicians and activists who encouraged people to interfere,” he said. “That is not civil disobedience. That is obstruction.”
The incident marks the third time this month that an immigration enforcement operation in Minnesota has ended in violence. Earlier protests erupted following the deaths of Renee Nicole Good and another suspect shot by federal officers, both of whom were accused of endangering agents during attempted arrests.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Sunday that federal agencies are “under siege” from politically motivated local interference. “What’s happening in Minnesota is a tragedy — but it’s also a direct result of officials refusing to cooperate with law enforcement,” she said. “We will not tolerate violence against our officers.”
ICE officials said more than 3,400 illegal immigrants — including convicted felons, gang members, and suspected terrorists — have been arrested since Operation Metro Surge began earlier this year.
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