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Senator Gives Speech Following Second Shooting In Minneapolis

Senator Gives Speech Following Second Shooting In Minneapolis

Pressure is mounting on the Trump administration and the Department of Homeland Security as a growing bloc of Republican senators publicly call for a full investigation into the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis, a rare moment of bipartisan convergence on an issue that has quickly become politically combustible. While administration officials continue to defend the actions of federal officers involved in the shooting, lawmakers from both parties are signaling that oversight and transparency are now unavoidable.

At least seven Republican senators — including Bill Cassidy, Susan Collins, Mike Crapo, John Curtis, Jerry Moran, Lisa Murkowski, and Thom Tillis — have stated that the fatal shooting of Pretti, a U.S. citizen, warrants a thorough and impartial probe. Their statements place increasing scrutiny on federal immigration enforcement agencies and the leadership of DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, particularly as conflicting accounts of the incident continue to circulate.


That scrutiny is set to intensify next month. Sen. Rand Paul, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security Committee, has formally requested testimony from the heads of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. While Paul’s letters focus broadly on oversight of immigration funding and agency operations, the timing places the Minneapolis shootings squarely in the background as Congress prepares to question senior DHS officials under oath.

House Republicans are moving in parallel. Rep. Andrew Garbarino, chair of the House Homeland Security Committee, has also called for testimony from the same agency leaders, emphasizing Congress’s responsibility to ensure both public safety and the protection of law enforcement officers. Though neither Paul nor Garbarino explicitly tied the hearings to Pretti’s death, other Republicans have done so directly.


Sen. John Curtis drew a clear line between the shooting and the need for oversight, criticizing what he described as premature public statements by DHS leadership. Curtis warned that rushing to judgment before all facts are known undermines public trust and weakens law enforcement credibility, pledging to work with bipartisan colleagues to demand transparency and accountability.

At the center of the controversy are statements made by Secretary Noem shortly after the shooting, in which she alleged that Pretti brandished a firearm, resisted officers, and posed an imminent threat. Witness video and emerging footage have complicated that narrative, prompting DHS to confirm that multiple body-camera recordings are under review. The White House has since taken a more cautious tone, with press secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that President Donald Trump wants the investigation to proceed without political interference.


Several Republican senators have also raised constitutional concerns, noting that Pretti was reportedly licensed to carry a firearm. Murkowski and Crapo both emphasized that lawful gun ownership alone does not justify the use of lethal force, while Collins and Moran stressed the need to determine whether the situation could have been de-escalated.

Written by Mark Stevens - January 29, 2026