Pretti Shooting Escalates Standoff Between Federal Agents, Minnesota Officials

Summary

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WSJ What’s News: Pretti Shooting Escalates Standoff Between Federal Agents, Minnesota Officials

Date: January 26, 2026
Host: Luke Vargas (The Wall Street Journal)

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Overview

This episode covers the deepening crisis following the shooting of Alex Preddy, a Minneapolis nurse and legal observer, by federal agents during protest activity. The fallout includes a fierce jurisdictional standoff between federal and Minnesota officials, a rare fracture among gun rights advocates, and political maneuvering in Washington amid rising public outrage. The show also touches on major domestic and international financial developments.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Preddy Shooting: Timeline and Contradictions

• Incident Recap:

  • Federal agents shot and killed Alex Preddy, an intensive care nurse identified as a legal observer, during weekend protests in Minneapolis.
  • Bystander footage challenges the DHS narrative of violent resistance, showing a different sequence of events.

• President’s Response:

  • President Trump stated the administration is investigating, but refused to say if the shooting was justified. He also criticized Preddy for carrying a gun:

    “[Preddy’s] 9 millimeter semiautomatic handgun [was] very dangerous and unpredictable.” (Luke Vargas relaying Trump’s comments) [00:32]

• Video Evidence Contradicts Official Account:

  • Visual Investigations reporter Brenna Smith details the event chronology per video review:
    • Preddy, filming with two civilians, was followed by an agent who shoved one associate.
    • Preddy interposed himself between the fallen person and the officer, who then used chemical spray.
    • DHS agents swarmed the group, separated Preddy, and apparently confiscated his firearm before shooting him.

    “Bystander footage then shows one officer seemingly withdrawing a gun from Preddy, and soon after another officer begins to fire at him.” (Brenna Smith) [01:42]

    • An audio expert confirmed 10 gunshots in 5 seconds, likely from one federal agent.

    “Officers then [are] shouting ‘where is the gun?’ as they’re applying first aid to Preddy.” (Brenna Smith) [02:58]

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2. Federal–State Standoff: Law Enforcement Turf War

• Jurisdiction Clash:

  • Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara ordered his officers to stay at the scene, refused to cede control to federal agents.
  • Minnesota’s top investigators were blocked by federal officers even with a signed search warrant.

  “Federal operations in the city have gotten out of hand.” (Chief O’Hara via CBS) [03:44]

• Legal and Political Response:

  • Minnesota’s attorney general filed a suit to prevent DHS and DOJ from destroying evidence.
  • Homeland Security dismissed destruction allegations as “an attempt to divide the American people.” (DHS spokeswoman) [04:04]
  • Secretary Kristi Noem promised details would be disclosed as “appropriate.”

    “The information is consistently coming out when it’s appropriate...That’s exactly what President Trump and his administration want.” (Kristi Noem relayed by Brenna Smith) [04:36]

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3. National Political Fallout

• Gun Rights Lobby Criticizes Trump Administration:

  • FBI Director Cash Patel’s comments on Fox News sparked backlash:

    “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple.” (Cash Patel) [04:49]

  • Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus: Patel “completely incorrect” on Minnesota law.
  • The NRA: Officials “shouldn’t be demonizing law-abiding citizens.”

• Senate Democrats Threaten Government Shutdown:

  • Democrats refuse to fund government unless DHS reforms are included, risking a shutdown.
  • Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) calls for bipartisan action:

    “Our Republican colleagues have to stand up and stop this.” (Amy Klobuchar) [05:53]

  • Klobuchar opposes abolishing ICE, but pledges to vote against DHS funding:

    “And no, I am not voting for this funding.” (Amy Klobuchar) [06:09]

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4. Other Headlines (Briefly Covered)

• US Winter Storm:
  • Widespread snow, power outages, and oil/natural gas production disruptions. (Luke Vargas) [07:22]
• Vaccine Recommendations:
  • The CDC shrank its recommended childhood vaccine schedule; the American Academy of Pediatrics calls the move unscientific. (Luke Vargas) [07:22]
• China Military Corruption Probe:
  • General Jiang Youxia, a top military official, accused of leaking secrets and bribery.
• Gold and Silver Historical Rally:
  • Gold hits $5,000/oz (up 17% for the year); silver up 55%. Analyst attributes this to political uncertainty, Fed rate moves, and global central banks diversifying reserves.

    “Central banks and other countries that aren’t aligned with the west started thinking, hang on, do I really want to hold quite so many dollars? Maybe I should own some gold...” (Market Analyst) [10:28]

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• President Trump (Paraphrased by Host):

  “Preddy’s 9 millimeter semiautomatic handgun [was] very dangerous and unpredictable.” [00:32]

• Brenna Smith, Visual Investigations Reporter:

  “What these videos show is before the shooting, Preddy was seemingly with two other civilians...a crowd of DHS agents then swarms the civilians...one officer seemingly withdrawing a gun from Preddy, and soon after another officer begins to fire at him.” [01:42]

• Chief Brian O’Hara:

  “Federal operations in the city have gotten out of hand.” [03:44]

• FBI Director Cash Patel:

  "You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple.” [04:49]

• Senator Amy Klobuchar:

  “Our Republican colleagues have to stand up and stop this.” [05:53]
  “And no, I am not voting for this funding.” [06:09]

• Market Analyst on Central Bank Gold Buying:

  “Central banks and other countries that aren’t aligned with the west started thinking, hang on, do I really want to hold quite so many dollars? Maybe I should own some gold in my foreign exchange reserves in case my dollar holdings get weaponized in the same way.” [10:28]

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Preddy Shooting & Investigation: 00:18 – 04:49
• Gun Rights, Political Fallout, Senate Response: 04:49 – 06:11
• Other News (Weather, Vaccines, China, Gold): 07:22 – 11:18

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Tone & Language

The episode maintains the Wall Street Journal's measured, factual news tone while conveying mounting urgency over the Minneapolis standoff and its national repercussions. The reporting includes direct expert and witness analysis, neutral summaries of political disputes, and a focus on evidence-based journalism (notably through the bystander video investigation).

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This summary captures all significant news and detailed discussion around the Preddy case, the ensuing law enforcement and political crisis, and high-level overviews of other business and international events featured in the episode.

Transcript

[Podcast Host]

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[Luke Vargas]

Minneapolis Reels after Federal Agents Kill Another US Citizen they shot that guy. I know they have shot a man.

[Market Analyst]

They have shot a legal observer.

[Luke Vargas]

We'll get reaction from around the country, plus the rest of the day's news, including a massive scandal at the very top of China's military leadership. It's Monday, January 26th. I'm Luke Vargas for the Wall Street Journal, and here is the AM edition of what's News, the top headlines and business stories moving your world Today, President Trump says his administration is investigating the killing of intensive care nurse Alex Pred, federal agents in Minneapolis over the weekend. Speaking to the Journal yesterday, Trump repeatedly declined to say whether the officer who shot Preddy had acted appropriately, though he also criticized Preddy for carrying a gun during protest activity, calling his 9 millimeter semiautomatic handgun very dangerous and unpredictable. Those comments come after the Department of Homeland Security alleged that Preddy violently resisted officers trying to disarm him, leading them to fire defensive shots. However, bystander footage contradicts that version of events, as Visual Investigations reporter Brenna Smith explains.

[Visual Investigations Reporter Brenna Smith]

The Wall Street Journal reviewed numerous bystander footage of Preddy's encounter with DHS agents, including before, during and after the shooting. What these videos show is before the shooting, Preddy was seemingly with two other civilians in filming DHS agents. With his. Filming the agents, Preddy and two other civilians walk away and one of the agents follows them and then shoves one of the people that Preddy seems to be with. And Preddy immediately puts himself between the fallen person and the officer, who then sprays a chemical agent on all three of them. And that's when things really start to kick off and a crowd of DHS agents then swarms the civilians. They separate Peretti from the other two civilians. That and bystander footage then shows one officer seemingly withdrawing a gun from Preddy, and soon after another officer begins to fire at him.

[Market Analyst]

What the.

[Visual Investigations Reporter Brenna Smith]

We spoke with one expert who confirmed that there were at least 10 shots within 5 seconds based on the available audio, and that they all seemed to come from a single semi automatic firear after the shooting. Bystander footage also shows officers then shouting where is the gun? As they're applying first aid to Preddy.

[Luke Vargas]

Following Preddy's killing, Minneapolis Police Chief Brian o' Hara ordered that his officers not leave the crime scene despite being told that they weren't needed. The state of Minnesota's top criminal investigators then took on the case, only for them to be blocked by federal officers, including after they obtained a signed search Warrant. Speaking to CBS's Face the Nation, O' Hara described federal operations in the city as having gotten out of hand.

[Podcast Host]

We understand that for as long as there has been ice, there has been immigration enforcement in Minnesota. The problem is not that enforcement is happening, it's clearly the manner in which these things are happening. These tactics are very obviously not safe and it is generating a lot of outrage and fear in the community.

[Luke Vargas]

A hearing is scheduled for today in Minnesota Federal Court in a suit brought by the state's attorney general that seeks to bar Homeland Security and Justice Department officials from destroying or concealing evidence related to Saturday's shooting. A Homeland Security spokeswoman defended the actions of immigration agents and described claims that evidence was destroyed as, quote, an attempt to divide the American people. When pressed on how the investigation is being managed, Secretary Kristi Noem told Fox News that more details would be provided in due course.

[Visual Investigations Reporter Brenna Smith]

I think the information is consistently coming out when it's appropriate, when investigators deem that it is something that they can release that will give answers to people. That's exactly what President Trump and his administration want.

[Luke Vargas]

In addition to widening a rift between divisions of law enforcement, Saturday's killing is spurring gun rights advocates to issue rare criticism of the Trump administration following comments like this from FBI Director Cash Patel on Fox News's Sunday morning Futures. You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It's that simple. You don't have that right to break the law and incite violence. The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus called Patel's statement completely incorrect on Minnesota law, while the National Rifle Administration said officials shouldn't be demonizing law abiding citizens. Meanwhile, back in Washington, Senate Democrats angry over events in Minnesota say they won't vote for a government funding package unless it includes major changes to its homeland security provisions, including constraints on DHS's immigration enforcement activities and more oversight that's teeing up a potential government shutdown this coming weekend, something that many Senate Democrats had initially sought to avoid after last year's record setting funding lapse. Speaking on NBC's Meet the Press, Minnesota Senator Amy Klobuchar criticized the behavior of ICE and U.S. border Patrol and called on her colleagues across the aisle to work with Democrats. Our Republican colleagues have to stand up and stop this.

[Visual Investigations Reporter Brenna Smith]

And no, I am not voting for this funding.

[Luke Vargas]

Klobuchar stopped short of joining other Democrats in calling for abolishing ice. Voting against the DHS fund measure would do little to rein in immigration enforcement in the short term, given that last year's tax and spending package set aside more than $4 billion to hire and train more Border Patrol agents. Coming up, the US Digs out after a major winter storm and a vaccine showdown as pediatricians take issue with the CDC's pared back shot recommendations for kids. Those stories and more after the break. Foreign.

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[Luke Vargas]

Large swaths of the US remain covered in snow and ice this morning after a winter storm wreaked havoc from the southern Rocky Mountains to New England. More than 800,000Americans are currently without power, according to Poweroutage US with Tennessee and Mississippi hit especially hard. The Northeast, Great Lakes and Central Plains are all expected to get more snow today, adding to pressure on Power gr. The harsh weather has also forced major oil and natural gas producing regions to shut up shop, further stressing grids. According to analysts at J.P. morgan, about 250,000 barrels of daily crude production has been lost due to closures in Oklahoma and parts of Texas. Travelers are also bearing the brunt of the storm, with tens of thousands of flights canceled yesterday and more than 4,000 canceled so far today. Pediatricians are pushing back against the CDC's new and slimmed down childhood vaccine schedule. In its guidance out today, the American Academy of Pediatrics continues to recommend that children be vaccinated against 18 diseases, including hepatitis A and B, COVID 19, influenza, rotavirus and the disease that causes meningitis and other infections. Those six immunizations were dropped from the CDC's schedule for children earlier this month, with the agency now recommending children get vaccinated against 11 diseases hitting out at the CDC's pared back vaccination schedule. The AAP's Dr. Sean O' Leary said the recommendations aren't grounded in science, but rather in ideology. A purge of the Chinese military has now reached the country's senior most general. And we can exclusively report that he's being accused of leaking information about China's nuclear weapons program to the US and accepting bribes for official acts. General Jiang Youxia was once considered Xi Jinping, Beijing's most trusted military ally and is a descendant of revolutionary elders who helped Mao Zedong's communist forces seize power in 1949. Analysts say the opacity of China's political system makes it hard to ascertain Xi's motivations for targeting John. A spokesman at the Chinese Embassy in Washington said the party's decision to investigate John underscores that China's leadership maintains a full coverage zero tolerance approach to combating corruption. We've left link to our reporting in our show notes and Gold has surged past $5,000 for the first time ever, adding to its historic rally.

[Market Analyst]

We're less than a month into 2026 and gold prices have risen 17% so far this year. That's nothing, though, compared to the silver market, which is up 8% this morning and 55% for the year so far. So this is a really historic rally in both precious metals.

[Luke Vargas]

That's markets reporter Joe Wallace, who said that political uncertainty regarding Greenland and Venezuela, coupled with President Trump's latest threat of 100% tariffs on Canada, is pushing safe havens like gold and silver to new highs.

[Market Analyst]

There's also some concern among investors about the independence of the Federal Reserve after the DOJ investigation into chair Jerome Powell became public earlier this year. There are a couple more things going on that the Fed has been lowering rates. Rates and gold prices typically do well when rates are lower. That's because gold doesn't pay any dividends or coupons. So the opportunity cost of holding what essentially is a shiny piece of metal falls when interest rates are themselves lower. And then central banks around the world just keep on buying gold in their droves. This had been going on for years, but it really picked up speed after 2022 when the west put sanctions on the Russian central bank reserves. And central banks and other countries that aren't aligned with the west started thinking, hang on, do I really want to hold quite so many dollars? Maybe I should own some gold in my foreign exchange reserves in case my dollar holdings get weaponized in the same way.

[Luke Vargas]

And that's it for what's news for this Monday morning. Today's show was produced by Daniel Bock and Hattie Moyer. Our supervising producer was Sandra Kilhoff. And I'm Luke Vargas for the Wall Street Journal. We will be back tonight with a new show. And until then, thanks for listening.