Judiciary Committee Democrats Demand DOJ Answer for Its Refusal to Investigate Homicides of American Citizens in Minneapolis by Law Enforcement

Washington, D.C. (January 27, 2026)—Rep. Jamie Raskin, Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee; Rep. Pramila Jayapal, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement; Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on the Constitution and Limited Government; and Rep. Lucy McBath, Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Crime and Federal Government Surveillance, demanded answers from Attorney General Pam Bondi regarding the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) refusal to investigate the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens in Minneapolis and its apparent efforts to obstruct accountability.

“Federal agents have now gunned down and killed two American citizens—Renée Good and Alex Pretti—in Minneapolis. Videos taken by bystanders who observed and documented these killings leave little doubt that there is no legal or moral justification for these cold-blooded homicides. Yet, under your leadership, the Department of Justice (DOJ)—an agency created in 1870 at the height of post-Civil War Reconstruction to enforce the civil rights of all Americans—actively obstructed any investigation into these killings, and instead of defending the civil rights of Americans, DOJ now appears to be covering up the most egregious civil rights offenses and systematically condoning the lawless killing of Americans by agents of the government,” wrote the Ranking Members.

On January 7, Renée Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was killed in her vehicle by masked United States Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent Jonathan Ross. Just two weeks later, on January 24, Alex Pretti, an ICU nurse who cared for military veterans, was shot approximately ten times by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents. 

Rather than investigating these brutal killings, the Trump Administration has deployed a public smear campaign intended to discredit the victims and their families, including by labeling Ms. Good a “domestic terrorist” and Mr. Pretti an “assassin.” Video evidence recorded by witnesses of both events clearly disproves multiple false claims pushed by senior Administration officials

In a further effort to prevent accountability, DOJ has refused to investigate these unlawful uses of force by federal agents. In the case of Ms. Good’s killing, DOJ leadership overruled career prosecutors and FBI officials who opened a civil rights investigation into Ms. Good’s killing. DOJ instead actually proceeded to open an investigation into Ms. Good’s widow for allegedly “interfering” with an ICE operation—apparently for filming the shooting.

DOJ has also blocked cooperation with state authorities and prevented local law enforcement access to key evidence. In the case of Mr. Pretti’s killing, Minnesota’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension obtained an emergency court order barring federal officials from destroying or altering evidence, reflecting serious concern about federal interference and the potential loss of critical evidence.

“DOJ’s coverup of these killings did not occur spontaneously or in isolation.  Someone affirmatively ordered FBI agents to drop the civil rights investigation into Mr. Ross. Someone affirmatively ordered federal law enforcement to instead investigate Ms. Good’s widow. Someone affirmatively ordered line agents to block state prosecutors from accessing key evidence. Someone is now taking the same actions with regard to the killing of another American citizen,” wrote the Ranking Members.

Judiciary Democrats are demanding that the Attorney General and DOJ produce documents identifying who made these decisions and why, including communications with the White House and Department of Homeland Security. They also seek records related to any investigation, or decision not to investigate, the killing of Mr. Pretti.

Click here to read the letter.