California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Monday said he’s watching the events in Minneapolis closely and has reviewed potential plans to prepare his office in the event that a similar shooting by federal agents occurs in the state.
Bonta made the comments at an unrelated news conference in San Diego, two days after federal agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti in Minneapolis – the second killing of an American citizen in less than a month.
The Trump administration has shut state and local officials out of the investigations into both fatal shootings, which many with law enforcement experience say conventionally would warrant joint investigations.
“I mean, if you have a heartbeat and you’re a human being in this country, you’re concerned,” Bonta said. “You’re looking at it, and you’re wondering what’s happening in Minneapolis and where it’s going to go.”
“Of course I’m monitoring it closely. I’m talking to my team about it every day,” he continued, adding that he’s in communication with Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison as well.
“But one of the things – as the attorney general for California – that I like to do, I think I’m duty-bound to do, is to think about the possibilities of what would happen here and to be prepared and ready,” Bonta said. “And we have a plan. We’ve looked at the scenarios. If things like what happened in Minneapolis and Minnesota happen here, we’ll be ready.”
When asked what that plan might be, in broad terms, he said the state was “prepared to take action.”
“When the facts require it, and the law authorizes it, we take action to protect our people,” Bonta said. “So we have looked at the scenarios in Minneapolis and looked at what the facts, should those facts be replicated here, or something similar, and looked at what the law provides for us and provides for our for us in terms of authority. And we’re ready to exercise that authority. First, I’ll say that we have authority.”
“There is no absolute immunity for federal immigration enforcement agents. That’s not true. It’s not that I have an opinion one way or the other on it. It’s just a fact that that’s not true,” he said, in reference to Vice President JD Vance’s assertion after the shooting of Renee Good that federal agents have “absolute immunity” in carrying out federal operations.
“It’s also a fact that local and state law enforcement – prosecutors – have the ability to prosecute for the violation of state criminal laws, including federal immigration enforcement officers, if they violate the criminal laws,” Bonta continued. “It is not a thing that there is carte blanche and a license to commit crimes in the state of California if you are a federal immigration enforcement agent.”
Bonta and Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a joint statement on Tuesday outlining guidance on such investigations, sending a directive to all California district attorneys, chiefs of police, sheriffs and state law enforcement agencies that note joint investigations as a best practice.
“However, in light of the federal government’s recent actions, it is important to recognize that the interests of the state are not subordinate to federal interests when it comes to regulating local crime,” the guidance reads. “State and local law enforcement agencies maintain independent authority to investigate all potential violations of California state law even in instances where federal authorities may decline to cooperate.”
“Trump Administration officials have repeatedly lied to the American people. Given what has happened in Minnesota, we cannot outsource our fundamental duty to protect Californians by simply accepting federal narratives,” Newsom said in a statement. “Especially when a fatal shooting occurs, no one should be allowed to rush in, seize evidence, and control the narrative before state and local law enforcement have lawful access.”