Gregory Bovino Faces State Criminal Probe After Metro Surge Incidents
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty announced a criminal investigation that includes gregory bovino and 16 other incidents tied to federal immigration enforcement in Minnesota, a move that could lead to state charges. The inquiry follows a string of confrontations this month, including two fatal shootings and a widely circulated video of agents deploying smoke and chemical agents.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty launches TAP and opens 17-case review
Moriarty unveiled the Transparency and Accountability Project (TAP) on March 2, creating a portal to collect photos, video and witness accounts of potential unlawful conduct by federal agents. The office said TAP will be staffed by county prosecutors and a civilian investigator and is already examining 17 incidents that may amount to criminal behavior.
The initiative was presented as a direct response to what Moriarty characterized as gaps in the federal response and a lack of cooperation: state prosecutors will review evidence and pursue charges where appropriate. Moriarty emphasized the office’s readiness for legal challenges, stating it is committed to conducting the investigations correctly and noting the harm the enforcement operation caused to the community.
Gregory Bovino identified in probe after Jan. 21 smoke canister incident
One of the incidents under scrutiny centers on a confrontation at Mueller Park on Jan. 21 in which a Border Patrol commander lobbed a smoke canister into a crowd. Video of the event captured shouted warnings about gas and shows plumes of green and gray smoke spreading over the park while some bystanders were struck with orange spray and green stains were left in the snow.
The commander involved in that confrontation is named in the investigation as gregory bovino, who had served as a public face of the enforcement operation before being removed and replaced in Minnesota after two federal-agent shootings. Local prosecutors singled out the Jan. 21 encounter and an earlier Jan. 7 incident outside a high school, where chemical irritants were deployed while students and staff were present, as among matters already under review.
Operation Metro Surge, civilian deaths and federal-state tensions
The criminal review was prompted in part by two fatal shootings by federal agents this month: Renee Good, a 37-year-old U. S. citizen, and Alex Pretti, who were killed on Jan. 7 and Jan. 24 respectively. Those deaths intensified scrutiny of Operation Metro Surge and led to wider demonstrations and criticism of federal use-of-force policies in Minneapolis-St. Paul.
The Department of Homeland Security has asserted that immigration enforcement is a federal responsibility and that federal officials acting in the course of their duties are immune from state liability, arguing states lack authority to prosecute federal officers. That position underscores a central legal friction: state prosecutors say they can pursue criminal charges for unlawful conduct, while the federal government contends its officers enjoy immunity.
What makes this notable is the interplay between high-profile, documented incidents—17 under initial review, two named civilian deaths, and video evidence from Jan. 21—and a legal dispute over authority that could determine whether state-level prosecutions are possible. The TAP project aims to build a case file by soliciting evidence directly from the public, a procedural step Moriarty described as necessary because federal authorities have not provided requested information about their officers’ actions in Minnesota.
The inquiry names other federal actors and references ICE and Border Patrol activity beyond the smoke canister episode, including aggressive crowd control tactics in multiple cities. Moriarty said many victims remain unnamed publicly to protect privacy but stressed the office will investigate and pursue charges where appropriate. The investigation’s next steps include evidence collection through the TAP portal and conventional prosecutorial review; legal challenges over federal immunity are expected to shape any eventual prosecutions.
Messages seeking comment from relevant federal authorities were left unanswered. The Hennepin County attorney’s office has invited community members to submit material to support its review as it moves forward with the TAP initiative.
