Bovino, Other Agents Investigated For Actions During Operation Metro Surge

The Hennepin County Attorney’s Office is investigating 17 incidents of potentially unlawful behavior by federal officers in the wake of Operation Metro Surge, including at least one involving Greg Bovino, the U.S. Border Patrol official who was the face of the operation for much of its duration, the office announced Monday.

Investigating and prosecuting federal agents presents significant challenges that are expected to lead to a longer charging timeline than is typical, according to the office.

“Make no mistake, we are not afraid of any legal fight,” Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said in a news release Monday. “But we will do this ethically, responsibly, and vigorously.”

Among the incidents being investigated is Bovino’s actions Jan. 21 near Mueller Park in Minneapolis, according to the news release, when Bovino was recorded throwing a gas canister into the park, The Minnesota Star Tribune reported.

Federal agents’ actions against students on Jan. 7 at Roosevelt High School in Minneapolis are also being investigated, according to the Tribune.

Moriarty’s office has started a Transparency and Accountability Project to collect evidence submitted by the public of possible illegal behavior by federal agents. A portal for people to share photos, videos and descriptions of such incidents has been created for the project.

Letters sent by Moriarty to federal agencies demanding investigative materials from the shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, who were killed by officers in January, and Julio Sosa-Celis have gone unanswered, with the deadline for a response on the Good case already past and the deadline for the other two cases expiring Tuesday, the Tribune reported.

Moriarty’s office may sue the federal government if she does not receive a response, according to the newspaper.