“Hiding Evidence Is Unacceptable”: Moriarty Demands Transparency in Federal Shootings

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty has taken a formal step this week to obtain key evidence from federal authorities in connection with the fatal killing of Alex Pretti and the non-fatal wounding of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis, both shot by federal agents.

MINNEAPOLIS — Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty is pressing the U.S. Department of Justice and the Department of Homeland Security to turn over key evidence in two shootings tied to Operation Metro Surge: the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and the wounding of Julio Sosa Celis.

“Yesterday and today our office submitted Touhy demands to gain access to evidence held by the federal government,” Moriarty said. “In state court, we use subpoenas to obtain any kind of evidence. Touhy is simply a process to obtain records and evidence from the federal government because you can't simply subpoena it.”

Late last week, the federal government informed the BCA that they will continue to block access to evidence collected in the death of Alex Pretti.

“Hiding evidence and obstructing our investigation is unacceptable and indicates a total lack of confidence in their agents’ actions,” Moriarty said.

Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison issued a statement saying, the FBI’s refusal to share evidence with state investigators is unprecedented and deeply troubling, but it will not stop their work to uncover the full story of Pretti’s death at the hands of federal agents.

“Alex Pretti’s loved ones and the people of Minnesota deserve the truth, and justice demands it.”

Charges collapsed, questions remain

Moriarty's second Touhy demand focuses on the January 14 shooting of Sosa Celis by a federal agent. The federal government initially filed criminal charges against Sosa Celis and another man, alleging they assaulted a federal agent. But that narrative unraveled.

“Those criminal charges were based on information provided by agents, who are now on leave for lying under oath,” Moriarty said. “In the latest in the long string of humiliations, the Department of Justice was forced to dismiss both cases with prejudice, meaning the charges cannot be refiled.”

A Demand for Answers

In both cases, Moriarty is seeking access to federal investigative materials including body camera footage, surveillance video, reports, forensic evidence, and autopsy findings.

Without that evidence, she says, her office cannot conduct an independent review or determine whether any state-level charges are appropriate.

Moriarty also made a Touhy request in the Good killing with a Feb. 17 deadline which was ignored. She has made it clear that her role is not political, it’s prosecutorial. If the evidence shows the shootings were justified, she says that conclusion should be supported by facts. If not, accountability should follow. But first, she says, the evidence must be shared.

“We are demanding the evidence in both of these shootings by March 3rd. We are prepared to take further legal action should the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice fail to meet our deadline and continue to obstruct our investigations.”


Beyond the legal dispute, Moriarty highlighted  the issue as one of public trust and community safety.

“While a major announcement was made regarding a supposed drawdown, we hear from community members that ICE continues to terrorize their neighbors,” she said.

“Their tactics may have changed, but the community feels no safer. Every ICE agent could leave tomorrow and lasting damage will remain.”

Recently, independent journalist Georgia Fort sat down with Moriarty, whose term is up this year, to talk about the decision of whether or not to charge the federal agents who killed Alex Pretti and Renee Good. Watch the full interview below.