US Border Patrol Agent and CBP Officer Identified as Fatal Shooters of Minneapolis Protester
Federal government documents have revealed the identities of two US federal agents involved in the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a nurse at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. Jesus Ochoa, a border patrol agent with 43 years of service, and Raymundo Gutierrez, an officer with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) since 2014, have been identified as the agents who fired their weapons during the confrontation last weekend.
According to records obtained by ProPublica, both agents were part of Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale immigration enforcement initiative that aimed to sweep up migrants in Minneapolis. The operation, launched in December, deployed numerous armed, masked agents throughout the city as part of a nationwide crackdown on unauthorized immigrants.
The shooting sparked widespread protests and renewed calls for investigations into federal immigration enforcement actions. Despite repeated requests from lawmakers, CBP has refused to publicly name the agents involved or provide any additional information about the incident. This lack of transparency has drawn criticism and scrutiny, particularly after another CBP agent shot and killed a Minneapolis protester just days earlier.
The incident has unfolded amid growing national debate over Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies, which have been criticized for leading to violent encounters between immigrants and US citizens. The use of masks by agents involved in these enforcement actions has raised concerns about their accountability and the potential for abuse of power.
In response to mounting pressure, CBP sent a notice to select members of Congress confirming that two agents discharged Glock pistols during the encounter with Pretti's death. However, their names were omitted from the notice. The Department of Homeland Security subsequently placed both men on leave following the shooting.
On Friday, the US Justice Department announced that its civil rights division had opened an investigation into the killing, which has sparked hopes for a more transparent and accountable inquiry. According to records, Ochoa joined CBP in 2018 as a border patrol agent, while Gutierrez began working for the agency four years earlier. Both men are from south Texas.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about federal immigration enforcement actions and the need for greater accountability and transparency.
Federal government documents have revealed the identities of two US federal agents involved in the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti, a nurse at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. Jesus Ochoa, a border patrol agent with 43 years of service, and Raymundo Gutierrez, an officer with Customs and Border Protection (CBP) since 2014, have been identified as the agents who fired their weapons during the confrontation last weekend.
According to records obtained by ProPublica, both agents were part of Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale immigration enforcement initiative that aimed to sweep up migrants in Minneapolis. The operation, launched in December, deployed numerous armed, masked agents throughout the city as part of a nationwide crackdown on unauthorized immigrants.
The shooting sparked widespread protests and renewed calls for investigations into federal immigration enforcement actions. Despite repeated requests from lawmakers, CBP has refused to publicly name the agents involved or provide any additional information about the incident. This lack of transparency has drawn criticism and scrutiny, particularly after another CBP agent shot and killed a Minneapolis protester just days earlier.
The incident has unfolded amid growing national debate over Donald Trump's hardline immigration policies, which have been criticized for leading to violent encounters between immigrants and US citizens. The use of masks by agents involved in these enforcement actions has raised concerns about their accountability and the potential for abuse of power.
In response to mounting pressure, CBP sent a notice to select members of Congress confirming that two agents discharged Glock pistols during the encounter with Pretti's death. However, their names were omitted from the notice. The Department of Homeland Security subsequently placed both men on leave following the shooting.
On Friday, the US Justice Department announced that its civil rights division had opened an investigation into the killing, which has sparked hopes for a more transparent and accountable inquiry. According to records, Ochoa joined CBP in 2018 as a border patrol agent, while Gutierrez began working for the agency four years earlier. Both men are from south Texas.
The incident highlights ongoing concerns about federal immigration enforcement actions and the need for greater accountability and transparency.
I'm not surprised by this news. As someone who's lived through some tough times in my youth, I've seen how fear can take over and lead to bad decisions. These agents were likely just following orders, but that doesn't excuse their actions. The fact that they're from south Texas makes me wonder if there was some kind of cultural or regional bias at play here... 
I'm not trying to make excuses for anyone, but I do think we need to have a bigger conversation about how our immigration system is set up and whether it's truly serving everyone. We can't just keep passing the buck and expecting things to magically get better. 
both these agents were like basically in a mask cover thing to avoid being recognized and now we're finding out their names and it's like they got away with it for so long 
i mean what else are they hiding? the fact that they were doing some kind of "sweep" operation without warning protesters is just crazy 
and this whole thing brings back so many bad memories of trump's policies and how they've been affecting people's lives it's just heartbreaking to see all these innocent people getting hurt 
And the worst part is, they were both wearing masks, like who are we supposed to believe? 
Like, what's the big deal about keeping their identities a secret? They're just two agents doing their job... or so it seems. I mean, how many people have lost their lives because of these hardline immigration policies?! 
It's like they think we're just gonna forget all this and move on.
I'm so worried about what happened to Alex Pretti, that's just heartbreaking 
. It's like, can't we all just get along? 
Those agents should've known better than to use their power like that 
. I mean, come on, CBP is supposed to be helping people, not hurting them 
. This whole thing just stinks, and I'm so glad the DOJ is investigating 
. We need real change here, not just lip service 
. It's time for our country to take care of its own people, not just focus on borders 
.
he had no reason to be armed or anything. its crazy that they were able to shoot him without any witnesses nearby...i mean what kind of operation are we talking about here where agents get to carry guns and shoot people without proper accountability?
i also dont get why cbp is being so secretive about everything...the fact that they refused to name the agents involved or provide any info is just so shady.
I mean, come on, CBP has been trying to sweep up migrants left and right and now they're saying it's all good? No masks no questions asked? Get real. Those guys need to be held accountable for their actions. We need to know more about what went down that day and how these agents were trained to handle situations like this. The fact that they're just sitting on leave while the community is still reeling from this tragedy is just not right 
I mean, two agents just shoot someone without even identifying themselves?! 
Do you think these agents were acting in the line of duty, or was it just a case of mistaken identity? 
. its just so frustrating when ppl in power get away with this kinda stuff without being held accountable... 
I'm thinking of Alex Pretti's family and loved ones, they must be going through such a tough time. Losing someone you love can never be easy, especially under such tragic circumstances 
.
Can you believe it? A nurse's life lost in the line of duty! 
And the fact that they're from south Texas... doesn't that smell like a certain someone's hometown to anyone else? 
. And the fact that CBP is still being so secretive about it is just... weird. I mean, isnt transparency kinda important for, you know, trust and stuff? 
. It's like they're trying to sweep this under the rug and avoid accountability. The use of masks by these agents is already raising some serious concerns about their motives and whether they were acting in an official capacity or not 
.