Trump-Appointed Judge Blocks Admin Cover-Up in VA Nurse Killing
DHS denied claims that it would destroy evidence following the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti.
A federal judge has issued a temporary injunction barring the Trump administration from “destroying or altering evidence” related to the fatal shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretty, a medic with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Judge Eric C. Tostrood, a U.S. District Judge appointed by Donald Trump in 2018, issued his ruling Saturday evening. The injunction prohibits the Department of Homeland Security, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Border Patrol, the U.S. Attorney’s Office, and the FBI from manipulating evidence collected at the crime scene.
A hearing is scheduled for Monday to determine whether the injunction should stand. Federal authorities have the right to file objections before then. The Minnesota Attorney General’s office filed the lawsuit on behalf of state and local law enforcement agencies. Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison said the judge’s decision would help protect the investigation.
“Alex Pretty was murdered by Department of Homeland Security agents in broad daylight and in full view of us all,” Ellison said in a press release published by The Daily Beast. “The rule of law and our sense of justice demand a full, impartial, and transparent investigation into his death. We will accept nothing less.”
After the shooting, federal agents attempted to prevent the Minneapolis Police Department and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Investigation (MCO) from securing the crime scene. The MCO alleges in its lawsuit that federal agents prevented state investigators from immediately accessing the site. The MCO also stated that the agents left after several hours, “causing the security perimeter to collapse and risking the destruction of evidence.”
The lawsuit also alleges that the federal government prevented the state from accessing evidence related to the shooting death of Renee Nicole Goode, which occurred earlier this month.
The Department of Homeland Security denied destroying or tampering with evidence in a statement to The Daily Beast.
Assistant Secretary of State Tricia McLaughlin said: “Any allegation that the federal government would destroy evidence is a ludicrous attempt to sow discord among the American people and to distract from the fact that our law enforcement officers were attacked—and their lives threatened—yesterday. We are actively investigating this matter and will continue to do so, as we do with any shooting involving a police officer.”
Video of the shooting shows Brett resisting Border Patrol agents who are trying to subdue him. Multiple shots are heard, and some officers are seen leaving the scene. Federal officials have insisted that Brett, whom they described as armed, “wanted to cause as many casualties as possible and massacre law enforcement officers.” However, eyewitnesses stated they did not see Brett brandish a firearm, and several videos contradict federal officials’ claims that he posed a real threat to agents.
California Governor Gavin Newsom commented on the temporary restraining order, accusing Trump of destroying evidence.
Newsom wrote on X.com: “Unbelievable! Donald Trump is not just falsifying accounts, he’s destroying them. A federal judge had to intervene to stop the Trump administration from destroying evidence in the Alex Preity murder case.”
