Months after ICE agents killed Renee Good and Alex Pretti, feds share key evidence with Minnesota

MINNEAPOLIS (FOX 9) - Local investigations into the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti are moving forward after months of waiting for federal evidence.

Federal evidence now in local hands

What we know:

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty confirmed that federal investigators recently began sharing evidence in the deaths of Good and Pretti, as well as in the shooting of Julio Sosa-Celis.

This likely includes hours of body camera footage from the agents involved.

"I'm told we have the body cam evidence. But this is voluminous. This is hours and hours and hours of video. And so we are in the process of going through that," Moriarty said on Monday.

For months, local investigators were unable to move forward because federal agents withheld key evidence, including body camera footage and other critical views from the scene.

The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA), which typically investigates police use of force, was also blocked from the investigation until recently.

Dig deeper:

The evidence now being reviewed includes not only video but also an inventory of materials turned over by federal authorities, including Renee Good’s SUV. The state is also sharing evidence it collected from other sources, which Moriarty says is a return to the usual process in cases involving federal agents.

The investigations have been stagnating for more than six months since Good was killed and nearly six months since Pretti was killed. Local authorities say the new evidence sharing will likely speed up the process, but there is still much work to do as they review hours of footage and other documents.

Moriarty has not set any deadlines for making decisions on whether to charge the federal agents involved in any of the three shootings. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is now working alongside local prosecutors to review the evidence and determine next steps. They’re also sharing the state’s evidence with federal investigators.

What they're saying:

"After receiving this evidence, we immediately began to analyze it in the context of the evidence that we already had. This analysis is ongoing, and it will be every bit as thorough, fair, and efficient as it can be," Moriarty said on Monday.

Moriarty also believes the state’s lawsuit for access to the evidence played a role in getting the federal government to cooperate.

Attorneys for Good’s family say the latest developments are a positive step toward justice

The Department of Homeland Security has not responded to requests for comment on the new evidence-sharing agreement and Pretti's family says that may be an issue going forward.

"We were initially encouraged by Hennepin County’s announcement today," said Steve Schleicher. "However, in a meeting this afternoon, U.S. Attorney Rosen refused to confirm any cooperation agreement between state and federal agencies – continuing to deny the Pretti family basic information that they have been requesting for months. No family should be required to beg federal authorities to do their job. Without a public commitment by federal authorities to cooperate with the state, it is difficult – if not, impossible – to pursue justice that holds the individuals accountable for Alex’s death."

Local perspective:

The investigations have been stagnating for more than six months since Good was killed and nearly six months since Pretti was killed. Local authorities say the new evidence sharing will likely speed up the process, but there is still much work to do as they review hours of footage and other documents.

Moriarty has not set any deadlines for making decisions on whether to charge the federal agents involved in any of the three shootings. The Bureau of Criminal Apprehension is now working alongside local prosecutors to review the evidence and determine next steps. They’re also sharing the state’s evidence with federal investigators.

What we don't know:

It is not yet clear when a decision will be made about whether to charge the federal agents involved in the shootings of Good, Pretti, or Sosa-Celis.

The Department of Homeland Security has not commented on the evidence-sharing process or the ongoing investigations.

Minneapolis ICE shootingImmigrationPoliticsCrime and Public Safety