A federal agent had his finger bitten off by a far-left agitator amid the latest flare-up of unrest in Minneapolis.
Hundreds of protesters and agitators flooded the streets of south Minneapolis on Saturday after Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old anti-ICE activist, was shot and killed after allegedly pulling a gun on U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) agents.
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) confirmed that the incident occurred during an immigration enforcement operation targeting an illegal alien wanted for violent assault. Footage from the scene shows Pretti intervening as agents attempted to make an arrest, at which point a struggle ensued.
After a few seconds, a single gunshot could be heard, at which point agents opened fire. Emergency responders attempted to render life-saving aid, but Pretti was pronounced dead not long after.
The cause of the shooting is currently under investigation by the DHS.
Looks like the deceased fired first https://t.co/YsOoSf9Uti
— Scott Greer 6’2” IQ 187 (@ScottMGreer) January 24, 2026
Immediately after the shooting, a large group of protesters and agitators, including Antifa militants, began to gather around the scene. Members of the crowd could be seen setting up makeshift barriers and starting fires as a small contingent of Minneapolis Police and federal agents were forced to retreat.
During the unrest, a Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) agent had their finger bitten off by an agitator. The victim, an HSI officer, was engaged in operations targeting criminal networks, including human traffickers and drug cartels, in the city when the vicious assault took place.
Eyewitness accounts and official statements describe a rioter lunging at the agent before biting down savagely on their finger, severing it completely. The agent was immediately rushed to a local hospital for emergency treatment, where medical teams attempted to reattach the digit, though the long-term prognosis remains uncertain.
“In Minneapolis, these rioters attacked our law enforcement officer and one of them bit off our HSI officer’s finger,” DHS Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin confirmed in an X post. “He will lose the finger.”
The post was accompanied by a gruesome photo of the severed digit.
At least two individuals were taken into custody in connection with the the attack, DHS said. “The suspect who allegedly bit the finger off of an HSI agent in Minnesota today has been arrested and is in custody. I have directed my federal prosecutors to file charges for this heinous assault on our brave law enforcement officer,” Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement.
While initial reports focused on a single perpetrator for the biting, DHS has released photos of multiple suspects involved in related violence during the same protest, suggesting possible accomplices in the broader confrontation. It’s unclear if additional arrests are forthcoming, but investigations are ongoing to determine if others aided or encouraged the attack.
The charges against the arrested suspect include federal assault on a law enforcement officer, with potential enhancements for the severity of the injury.
In response to the growing chaos, the administration has deployed significant reinforcements. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem visited Minnesota earlier this month as an estimated 2,000 additional federal agents, including ICE and Border Patrol personnel, arrived to bolster Operation Metro Surge.
The massive surge has resulted in thousands arrests as part of what the administration is describing as the largest targeted immigration enforcement operation in U.S. history.
As of Saturday evening, units with the Minnesota National Guard have been deployed to assist with defense of the Whipple federal building. Additional units could be seen positioned around the site of the shooting.
President Donald Trump has maintained the possibility of involving the Insurrection Act, which gives the federal government expanded powers to deal with unrest, if the violence continues.
This is starting to remind of CHOP/CHAZ in Seattle of 2020 , several blocks barricaded by protesters with no signs of slowing down @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/6nfzMXPVi8
— Jorge Ventura Media (@VenturaReport) January 25, 2026
