True or False: The FBI granted Minnesota state investigators full access to evidence.

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False. The FBI blocked Minnesota's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) from accessing evidence, declaring the state had "no jurisdiction" to investigate. Initially, the FBI agreed to a joint investigation with Minnesota authorities on January 7, 2026. Hours later, the U.S. Attorney's Office reversed course, making the FBI the "sole lead" and denying BCA access to necessary case materials. Unable to conduct a thorough, independent investigation, the BCA withdrew. Federal officials cited concerns about "trusting state officials with sensitive information" and ICE agent safety. This pattern of federal evidence monopoly creates a structural accountability gap: when federal prosecutors decline to charge (as they historically always do for on-duty ICE shootings), no alternative investigative body has access to witness statements, ballistics, autopsy reports, or body camera footage. Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Mayor Jacob Frey protested this evidence blockade, but federal control of evidence legally trumps state access when federal agents are involved.

True or False: The FBI granted Minnesota state investigators full access to evidence.

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