Former officials say DHS tactics undermine public trust after series of contradictory statements

In at least five major cases, officials appeared to make public declarations about the incidents before formal investigations had reached final conclusions.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on Thursday said that in the aftermath of the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday, federal officials issued public statements about the incident based on "the best information" they had at the time and "what we knew to be true on the ground."

Noem previously suggested on the day of the shooting that the agents' actions were justified, claiming at a press briefing that Pretti had "attacked" officers and was "wishing to inflict harm" on them. But appearing Thursday on Fox News, Noem offered no evidence to support such claims, saying instead that the scene was "chaotic."

After her initial statements, Minnesota officials were quick to push back on her public comments, pointing to the multiple videos from witnesses which appeared to tell a different story.

She said the FBI is now leading the investigation, though officials previously said DHS was investigating, with assistance from the FBI.

Noem's shift in tone comes amid growing criticism of how quickly officials characterized the shooting. Some critics told ABC News that issuing definitive conclusions following immigration enforcement shootings is "incredibly irresponsible" and may undermine the long-term credibility of federal agencies.