Stories from January 24, 2026

Alex Pretti remembered as kind, competent and quiet
Alex Pretti, 37, a U.S. citizen who worked for the Veterans Administration, was shot and killed by federal immigration agents Saturday. People who knew him were stunned.
Minnesotans react to second fatal shooting by a federal agent
MPR News hosts Catharine Richert and Clay Masters talk about the second fatal shooting in Minneapolis by a federal agent tied to what the Trump administration says is federal immigration enforcement.   
Extreme cold holds through weekend, brief warmup Sunday
Arctic air continues to bring cold weather advisories and extreme cold warnings to northern Minnesota, with quiet, calm, and frigid conditions expected to mark the end of the weekend.
Sites across the cities close after man shot and killed by federal immigration agents
A number of sites in the Twin Cities have closed or announced shelter-in-place orders after a 37-year-old man was shot and killed by federal immigration officers on Saturday in Minneapolis near 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue.
Pain, anger, action in Twin Cities after a second fatal shooting by a federal agent
Alex Pretti, 37, was the man fatally shot by a federal agent Saturday morning. Gov. Tim Walz called federal claims of what happened at the scene “nonsense” and “lies” and said the state’s judicial system “will have the last word.” State agents said the feds denied them access to the scene even after investigators got a search warrant signed by a judge.
Injury questions linger for many top men's hockey teams at the Milan Olympics
With less than three weeks to go before the start of the men's hockey tournament at the Olympics in Milan, several of the top contenders have significant injury questions.
Church protesters freed as White House circulates fake arrest image
Activists Nekima Levy Armstrong, Chauntyll Allen and William Kelly were released after ICE-related arrests in St. Paul, as the White House posted a doctored arrest photo.
Bugs, blowdowns last year heighten Minnesota wildfire worries
A wind storm in June damaged more than 11,000 forested acres, mostly in Beltrami County. In a new report, the DNR says the blowdown raises fire risk in that area for the next three to five years.
Merkel family, Annunciation community honor first birthday without Fletcher
For the first time, third grader Fletcher Merkel’s parents celebrated his birthday without him, after he was killed during the Aug. 27 mass shooting at Annunciation Catholic Church and School.
Cold weather advisories continue as temperatures stay below zero
Bright sunshine will dominate the weekend forecast, though bitter Arctic air will continue to drive wind chills well below zero. Temperatures will stay well below average with little moderation expected.
Witnesses say they begged ICE agents not to detain Minnesota 5-year-old after father's arrest
People who saw federal agents detain 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos in Columbia Heights pushed back against claims by ICE and Vice President JD Vance that the child was abandoned, saying neighbors and school officials begged agents to let the child enter the home to join his mother or be released to the school.
These businesses opened for free food, resources during Minnesota's economic blackout
Hundreds of Minnesota businesses shut their doors Friday in observation of a general strike. But a few made the choice to close their doors to customers but provide free coffee, food and resources for protesters.
Health care providers at Mayo Clinic walk out in protest of ICE, CBP operations
Resident physicians and other health care professionals at the renowned Mayo Clinic in Rochester braved the extremely bitter cold Friday to stage a brief walkout in a show of support for and solidarity with their immigrant patients, colleagues and the community.