US opens civil rights probe into Alex Pretti shooting: report

The US Justice Department has started a civil rights investigation into the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a federal immigration officer in Minneapolis, Reuters reported referring to a senior official  on Friday.

According to the news agency, the department's investigation could potentially lead to criminal charges against the officers involved, though there is a high legal bar to bring such a case.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said the FBI was examining Saturday's shooting with potential assistance from the department's Civil Rights Division, which typically plays a leading role in investigations into use of force by law enforcement. 

He cautioned the review was preliminary and he downplayed its scope.

"This is what I would describe as a standard investigation by the FBI when there's circumstances like what we saw last Saturday," Blanche said at a news conference.

Pretti's shooting by immigration agents has stirred widespread outrage and prompted the Trump administration to de-escalate its immigration crackdown in Minnesota. 

Local officials have said the administration cannot be trusted and are pursuing their own investigation.

A preliminary review by US Customs and Border Protection said Pretti, 37, was shot by two federal officers, a Border Patrol agent and a customs officer. Pretti was the second protester to be shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis this month.