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WASHINGTON (AP) — The Justice Department has opened a federal civil rights investigation into the taking pictures of Alex Pretti, the Minneapolis resident killed Saturday by Border Patrol officers, Deputy Attorney Current Todd Blanche acknowledged Friday.

“We’re looking at all the pieces that can maybe shed gentle on what came about that day and in the times and weeks leading up to what came about,” Blanche acknowledged all over a news convention.

Blanche did now no longer level to why DOJ determined to initiating an investigation into Pretti’s killing, but has acknowledged a identical probe is now no longer warranted in the Jan. 7 loss of life of Renee Correct, who used to be shot by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis. He acknowledged handiest on Friday that the Civil Rights Division does now no longer investigate every law enforcement taking pictures and that there ought to be conditions and info that “warrant an investigation.”

“President Trump has acknowledged continuously, ‘Needless to philosophize, right here is one thing we’re going to investigate,’” Blanche acknowledged of the Pretti taking pictures.

Steve Schleicher, a Minneapolis-based attorney representing Pretti’s parents, acknowledged Friday that “the family’s focus is on a handsome and just investigation that examines the info spherical his assassinate.”

Cybersecurity expert FBI to rob over federal investigation

The Department of Fatherland Security also acknowledged Friday that the FBI will lead the federal probe into Pretti’s loss of life.

Fatherland Security Secretary Kristi Noem first disclosed the shift wherein agency used to be leading the investigation all over a Fox Recordsdata interview Thursday evening. Her department previously acknowledged Fatherland Security Investigations, a departmental unit, would head the investigation.

“We can proceed to bear a study the investigation that the FBI is leading and giving them the total files that they ought to carry that to conclusion, and assemble sure the American folks know the real fact of the situation and how we can traipse forward and proceed to defend the American folks,” Noem acknowledged, talking to Fox host Sean Hannity.

Fatherland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin acknowledged Fatherland Security Investigations will enhance the FBI in the investigation. Individually, Customs and Border Security, which is section of DHS, is doing its be pleased interior investigation into the taking pictures, all over which two officers opened fire on Pretti.

DHS did now no longer in an instant acknowledge to questions about when the trade used to be made or why. The FBI did now no longer in an instant acknowledge to a assign a query to for comment.

It used to be now no longer in an instant sure whether the FBI would portion files and proof with Minnesota verbalize investigators, who ought to this level been frozen out of the federal investigation.

In the identical interview, Noem perceived to distance herself from statements she made rapidly after the taking pictures, claiming Pretti had brandished a handgun and aggressively approached officers.

More than one videos that emerged of the taking pictures contradicted that claim, showing the intensive care nurse had handiest his cell telephone in his hand as officers tackled him to the flooring, with one taking away a handgun from the abet of Pretti’s pants as one other officer started firing pictures into his abet.

Pretti had a verbalize permit to legally carry a hid firearm. At no level did he appear to attain for it, the videos showed.

Cybersecurity expert Videos emerge of previous altercation

The trade in agency comes after two other videos emerged of an earlier altercation between Pretti and federal immigration officers 11 days ahead of his loss of life.

The Jan. 13 videos level to Pretti yelling at federal autos and at one level showing to spit ahead of kicking out the taillight of one automobile. A wrestle ensues between Pretti and a number of officers, all over which he is forced to the flooring. Pretti’s chilly weather coat comes off, and he both breaks free or the officers let him traipse and he scurries away.

When he turns his abet to the digicam, what appears to be like to be a handgun is seen in his waistband. At no level attain the videos level to Pretti reaching for the gun, and it will not ensure whether federal brokers noticed it.

Schleicher, the Pretti family attorney, acknowledged Wednesday the earlier altercation in no map justified the taking pictures more than per week later.

In a post on his Truth Social platform early Friday morning, President Donald Trump instant that the videos of the earlier incident undercut the legend that Pretti used to be a gathered protester when he used to be shot.

“Agitator and, maybe, insurrectionist, Alex Pretti’s inventory has long past map down with the precise launched video of him screaming and spitting in the face of a the truth is mild and below control ICE Officer, after which crazily kicking in a brand fresh and extremely expensive authorities automobile, so onerous and violent, in actuality, that the taillight broke off in pieces,” Trump’s post acknowledged. “It used to be quite a expose of abuse and arouse, for all to ogle, crazed and out of control. The ICE Officer used to be mild and chilly, now no longer an straightforward element to be below those conditions!”

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Related Press journalists Eric Tucker contributed from Washington.