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Federal prosecutors turned over key evidence long sought by Minnesota investigators in their ongoing probe into the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti during pitched protests against an immigration enforcement crackdown earlier this year, state prosecutors announced Monday.
The progress came as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agent shot and killed a motorist in Maine on Monday, and Houston prosecutors complained the administration was still withholding critical information in their investigation into a fatal shooting by an ICE officer last week.
Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said the evidence turned over by U.S. Attorney for Minnesota Daniel Rosen's office included previously withheld hard drives containing statements, police body camera video and other materials in the Minnesota killings. Federal prosecutors also turned over Good's badly damaged SUV, she said.
"The wonderful thing now is we have all the evidence," Moriarty said. "Any time the government is responsible in whatever way of taking the life of a community member we need to have a full and thorough investigation."
Good, a 37-year-old mother of three, was shot and killed in her vehicle while leaving an anti-immigration enforcement protest in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.
Her death and that of Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse shot and killed days later during a Jan. 24 protest, sparked outrage across the country and calls to rein in immigration enforcement.
The Minneapolis immigration crackdown, dubbed "Operation Metro Surge," ended in February after being billed as the largest immigration enforcement operation ever.
At least nine people have been killed nationwide since the Trump administration's immigration enforcement campaign began last year. No one has been charged in connection with the deaths, and the federal government has suggested state prosecutors don't have jurisdiction to investigate federal officers.
Lawyers for Good's family said the transfer of evidence represented "an important and meaningful step towards justice and accountability." The Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, which took custody of the evidence, declared that "great strides have been made" to ensure a "thorough and complete review" of the shootings.
But a lawyer for Pretti's family said Rosen's office, in a meeting Monday afternoon, wouldn't confirm any cooperation agreement between state and federal agencies.
"No family should be required to beg federal authorities to do their job," Steve Schleicher said in a statement. "Without a public commitment by federal authorities to cooperate with the state, it is difficult -- if not, impossible -- to pursue justice that holds the individuals accountable for Alex's death."
Spokespersons for Rosen's office, as well as ICE and the federal Department of Homeland Security, which oversees immigration enforcement, didn't immediately respond to emails seeking comment Monday.
Moriarty on Monday declined to provide details on what prompted the federal government to turn over the evidence.
But documents recently filed in a lawsuit brought by state and local officials suggest the breakthrough came after federal officials sought evidence state investigators gathered in the investigation of ICE agent Christian Castro.