DOJ Excludes Civil Rights Experts from Alex Pretti Shooting Probe

Rank-and-file prosecutors from the Civil Rights Division not involved in investigation, raising concerns about lack of independence.

Published on Mar. 10, 2026

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The Justice Department's investigation into the shooting death of ICU nurse Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis is being led by a lawyer from the department's employment litigation section, rather than experienced prosecutors from the Civil Rights Division's criminal section who typically handle such cases. This departure from standard practice has raised concerns that the probe may not be taken seriously or conducted independently.

Why it matters

The Civil Rights Division's criminal section has decades of experience investigating use-of-force cases and holding law enforcement accountable. Bypassing these experts in favor of an attorney with no prior criminal prosecution experience raises questions about the administration's commitment to a thorough and impartial investigation into Pretti's death, which has already sparked outrage in the community.

The details

Instead of involving career prosecutors from the Civil Rights Division's criminal section, the head of the division tapped Brandon Wrobleski, a lawyer from the employment litigation section, to work with two local prosecutors in the Minneapolis U.S. Attorney's office on the Pretti investigation. Wrobleski has no previous experience handling federal criminal cases. This marks a stark departure from historical practice, where the Civil Rights Division's criminal section would typically take the lead on such a high-profile case involving an alleged color of law violation resulting in a death.

  • Alex Pretti was shot and killed by two U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents on January 24, 2026.
  • In late January 2026, the Department of Homeland Security and Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche announced that the FBI and Civil Rights Division would be opening an investigation into Pretti's death.

The players

Brandon Wrobleski

A lawyer from the Justice Department's employment litigation section who has been assigned to lead the investigation into Pretti's shooting death, despite having no prior experience handling federal criminal cases.

Robert Keenan

The Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights Division, who has been involved in dismissing or seeking lighter sentences in some high-profile excessive force cases involving law enforcement officers.

Katie Neff

The new chief of the Civil Rights Division, who has not worked as a federal prosecutor in her career, which has included stints at several local district attorneys' offices in California and the Tennessee Attorney General's Office.

Alex Pretti

An ICU nurse who was shot and killed by two U.S. Customs and Border Protection agents during an immigration operation in Minneapolis.

Renee Good

A U.S. citizen who was shot and killed by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent earlier this year in Minneapolis as she sought to drive away in her vehicle.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Brandon Wrobleski to continue leading the investigation.

The takeaway

The exclusion of the Civil Rights Division's criminal section experts from the investigation into Pretti's shooting death raises concerns about the administration's commitment to a thorough and impartial probe, potentially undermining public trust in the process and the ability to hold those responsible accountable.