Jesus Ochoa and Raymundo Gutierrez identified in Minneapolis protest killing

Two federal immigration officers have been identified in government records as the agents who fired the shots that killed Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti, intensifying calls for transparency and a full criminal accounting of federal enforcement actions in the city. The shooting on Saturday, January 24, 2026, sparked days of protests and prompted overlapping investigations at the federal, state, and local levels.

The officers named in the records are Border Patrol agent Jesus Ochoa, 43, and Customs and Border Protection officer Raymundo Gutierrez, 35. Federal authorities have not publicly confirmed the names, and the agency has largely withheld details about the encounter.

A killing that escalated a national standoff

Pretti, 37, worked as an intensive care unit nurse at a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital. His death became a flashpoint in a broader confrontation over aggressive immigration enforcement tactics and the use of masked agents in large urban operations.

The encounter occurred near the intersection of 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. Publicly circulated videos show a chaotic scene involving pepper spray and federal agents detaining people in the street. Federal officials have offered only limited descriptions of what led to gunfire.

Who Jesus Ochoa and Raymundo Gutierrez are

The records identify Ochoa as a Border Patrol agent who joined Customs and Border Protection in 2018. Gutierrez began working for the agency in 2014 and serves in the Office of Field Operations, with assignment to a special response team used for higher-risk missions.

Both men are listed as being from South Texas, and both were deployed to Minneapolis under the same federal operation that has drawn criticism for its scale and tactics.

Operation Metro Surge and masked enforcement

At the time of the shooting, Ochoa and Gutierrez were participating in Operation Metro Surge, a large-scale immigration enforcement initiative launched in December 2025 that sent numerous armed, masked agents into Minneapolis for a citywide sweep.

The operation’s use of facial coverings has become one of the most contentious elements of the response. Critics argue masks undermine accountability after uses of force; federal officials counter that identifying officers can endanger them and their families.

The investigation: civil rights review and competing jurisdictions

Federal authorities have opened a civil rights investigation into the shooting. On Friday, January 30, 2026 (ET), the Justice Department confirmed the review, with Homeland Security Investigations leading investigative work and support from the FBI also cited in recent coverage.

State and local officials in Minnesota have pressed to maintain an independent local review, signaling potential conflict over access to evidence and control of the investigative timeline. The key near-term questions include what body-camera footage exists, whether it has been shared with outside investigators, and how quickly charging decisions could be made in any jurisdiction.

Why the identification battle matters

The naming of Ochoa and Gutierrez deepens the central dispute in the case: whether the public should know who used lethal force in a highly visible, heavily documented street encounter.

Transparency norms typically require disclosure of officers involved in shootings, especially when the event occurs in public and triggers broad civic unrest. In this case, the federal government’s resistance to naming the shooters has become part of the story itself, driving additional scrutiny from lawmakers and civil liberties advocates.

Key takeaways

• Government records identify Jesus Ochoa and Raymundo Gutierrez as the shooters in the January 24, 2026 killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

• Both officers were assigned to Operation Metro Surge, launched in December 2025.

• A Justice Department civil rights investigation was confirmed on January 30, 2026 (ET), with parallel pressure for state and local review.

• The dispute over masked agents and withheld identities is now a central accountability issue alongside the facts of the shooting.

Sources consulted: ProPublica; The Guardian; FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul; News4SanAntonio