'ENGINEERED CHAOS': Far-Left Groups Using Signal to Coordinate Harassment of Federal Agents: Report

Border Patrol agents shot and killed 37-year-old Alex Pretti on Saturday. Agents were there to arrest “an illegal immigrant criminal.” Pretti and other agitators were already waiting outside a donut shop — part of what Fox News describes as a strategic pattern of interference with law enforcement.

Fox News Digital reviewed a web of encrypted chats, street alerts, and tracking tools showing agitators were mobilized minutes before any shots were fired.

A database called “MN ICE Plates” logged alleged ICE vehicles around Nicollet Avenue before and after the killing. Local “rapid responders” made at least 26 entries in the critical window.

One entry at row 344 read: “At the nicollet [sic] murder,” tracking a black Jeep Wagoneer allegedly linked to agents “involved in shooting.”

Row 338 logged “Glam Doll Donuts,” tracking a black Ford Taurus.

At 9:50 a.m. ET, a Signal user identified as “Willow” posted a 22-second video.

“26and 3rd,” wrote “Willow,” followed by: “Outside Glam Doll.”

The video showed agents near the front door of Glam Doll Donuts. One wore a vest marked “POLICE.”

The window carried a sign reading: “ICE OUT OF MINNESOTA.” Another sign read: “ALL WELCOME HERE.”

As the camera rolled, the person filming yelled: “No!” Someone else shouted: “Get out of here!”

At 9:53 a.m. ET, another Signal user—“Salacious B. Crumb”—turned up the heat.

“Backup needed at the Black Forest Inn parking lot on Nicollet Ave just south of 26th Street,” the message read. “Multiple vehicles with many agents appear to be staging there,” it continued.

It also flagged: “One confirmed ICE vehicle seen was a maroon Dodge Durango [plate number]…”
(Fox says it redacted the Florida plate number.)

Fox reports a national network of socialist, communist, and Marxist-Leninist cells that then leveraged the death into nationwide protest operations. The report says real-time messaging used short video clips and emojis to fuel rapid mobilization and propaganda.

Vice President JD Vance called it “engineered chaos.”

“This level of engineered chaos is unique to Minneapolis. It is the direct consequence of far left agitators, working with local authorities,” Vice President JD Vance posted Saturday night on X.

This level of engineered chaos is unique to Minneapolis. It is the direct consequence of far left agitators, working with local authorities.

— JD Vance (@JDVance) January 25, 2026

CE Assistant Director Marcos Charles said the street violence was “not a coincidence,” pointing to the “chaos and mayhem” agitators are “fomenting.” At the same press conference, CBP Commander-at-Large Greg Bovino confirmed Pretti was “on the scene several minutes” before the fatal shooting.

Independent journalist Cam Higby shared screenshots and videos of the Signal chat on X.

🧵🚨 MINNEAPOLIS SIGNAL INFILTRATED

Here is a screenshot of the active dispatch call (it’s always active) as well as a shift change. You can see folks are changing their emojis, clocking in and out.

I’ll also attach below a video of dispatch actually tracking the vehicle I… pic.twitter.com/BQiZ7kq9VX

— Cam Higby 🇺🇸 (@camhigby) January 24, 2026

More over at Fox News:

The far-left network that helped put Alex Pretti in harm's way, then made him a martyr https://t.co/2DWp977ZgQ

— Fox News (@FoxNews) January 26, 2026

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