Newsbeat
Mar 11, 2026

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A federal criminal complaint was filed Friday against a Minneapolis man accused of breaking into a Federal Bureau of Investigation vehicle and stealing a rifle during unrest in North Minneapolis earlier this month, officials said.

Raul Gutierrez, 33, of Minneapolis, has been charged in federal court with being a felon in possession of a firearm and with theft of government property, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Minnesota. Authorities said he is expected to appear in federal court for his initial hearing in the coming days.

Investigators say Gutierrez is a documented member of the Latin Kings gang and has a known history tied to fentanyl and methamphetamine trafficking. Officials with the Drug Enforcement Administration said they identified him in publicly available videos showing a man removing a rifle from an FBI vehicle that had been left behind during the unrest.

“Gutierrez is known to the DEA as a violent offender with a background in the trafficking and distribution of fentanyl and methamphetamine,” said Dustin Gillespie, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Omaha Field Division.

Gillespie added that investigators were able to confirm Gutierrez as the person seen breaking into the FBI vehicle on January 14. He credited the joint efforts of federal agencies and the Violent Offender Task Force for quickly identifying and arresting the suspect.

“The coordinated work of federal law enforcement allowed us to swiftly remove a Latin Kings member who had spread fear and contributed to the flow of dangerous drugs in our communities,” Gillespie said.

U.S. Attorney Daniel Rosen also addressed the case, saying that despite what he described as inflammatory rhetoric toward federal law enforcement by some local officials, federal authorities remain committed to protecting public safety.

“The theft of a firearm from an FBI vehicle and the destruction of government property are serious crimes,” Rosen said. “This alleged gang member, who is already a convicted felon, poses a danger to the community. This case also highlights concerns about policies that fail to adequately address crime.”

According to a federal press release, the incident occurred on January 14 while FBI agents were assisting the Department of Homeland Security during an operation in Minneapolis that involved an attempted arrest. During the confrontation, agents were forced to temporarily leave behind their vehicles and equipment. Individuals in the crowd then broke into at least one unmarked FBI vehicle and removed federal property, including a Colt M16A1 rifle and related accessories.

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