Today's Top Stories from NBC News

MONDAY, JANUARY 26, 2026

In today's newsletter: Policing experts weigh in on the Border Patrol shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. At least nine people have died in the weekend winter storm and more than 820,000 are without power this morning. And the Super Bowl 60 matchup is set.

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▼ The Lead

One called it murder. Some need more information. How policing experts see the Alex Pretti shooting.

The killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis has revived concerns about whether immigration enforcement officers are properly trained to deal with protesters.

Some policing experts said the shooting appeared unjustified, and one said it amounted to murder. Others said they could not form a judgment until they knew more, particularly what threat the agent who fired thought he faced at that moment.

"It's clear that these people who we're seeing, these federal government officers in Minneapolis, are obviously overwhelmed and poorly trained and inexperienced," said Tom Nolan, a former Boston police commander and criminology professor who once advised the Department of Homeland Security on civil rights issues.

Whether the killing will be the subject of a thorough investigation remains an open question. The Trump administration has already defended the actions of the Border Patrol agent who opened fire, in some cases making claims that run counter to videos of the confrontation. President Donald Trump said his administration is "reviewing everything" about the shooting.

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said her agency will lead the investigation, which is unusual based on previous practice where the FBI takes charge. Minnesota state investigators said they were blocked from accessing the shooting scene despite having a warrant.

Here's what other experts told us. Follow the latest coverage in our liveblog.

More on the shooting:

Senate Democrats are plotting their strategy as a standoff over the DHS funding bill deepens heading into shutdown week. Sources said Chuck Schumer's message was "restrain, reform and restrict ICE."

A total of 120 lawmakers have signed on to an impeachment resolution against Noem.

Analysis: A number of pro-gun rights Republicans pushed back on the administration's argument that Pretti, who is licensed to carry a firearm, was dangerous because he had a gun.

The Obamas and former President Bill Clinton urged Americans to "speak up" and take action.

A brutal winter storm left at least nine dead and knocked out power for more than a million people as it hit several states over the weekend. While the heaviest bands of snow will start moving offshore today, the system will bring bitter cold temperatures over the next couple of days across much of the eastern two-thirds of the country.

Snow showers will linger in the Northeast before the system moves off the East Coast this morning. The Great Lakes, however, can expect lake-effect snow to linger.

Dangerously cold temperatures will set in for several days as arctic air rushes behind the storm. Temperatures as low as minus 10 to minus 20 degrees are expected from the northern Plains to the upper Midwest. A new all-time record low temperature was set at Watertown International Airport, in Jefferson County, New York, the National Weather Service said.

The frigid temperatures could break records across the Southern Plains to the lower Mississippi Valley and the interior mid-Atlantic through tomorrow morning.

Follow live updates on our blog.

Seahawks and Patriots advance to the Super Bowl

The Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots will meet in Super Bowl 60 after they won their conference championships, setting up a Big Game rematch from 2015.

The Seahawks punched their ticket by outlasting their division rival the Los Angeles Rams 31-27 in an explosive thriller. Facing MVP finalist Matthew Stafford, Seattle quarterback Sam Darnold went blow-for-blow with his opponent, throwing for 346 yards and three touchdowns.

The Patriots advanced with a 10-7 win against the Denver Broncos in the middle of a swirling snowstorm. Second-year quarterback Drake Maye threw for only 86 yards, but he made big plays on the ground to secure the win. It is the 10th Super Bowl for the Patriots this century, and their first without Tom Brady and Bill Belichick since 1997.

Catch up on all the action here. And read our profile of Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold.

▼ Read All About It

A business jet carrying eight people crashed during takeoff in Bangor, Maine, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

Israel said its military was conducting a "large-scale operation" to locate the last hostage in Gaza, widely seen as the remaining obstacle to moving ahead with opening the Rafah crossing and proceeding with the U.S.-brokered ceasefire's second phase.

TikTok is putting its creators in the Hollywood spotlight at the Sundance Film Festival.

Mikaela Shiffrin became the first skier in the six-decade history of the World Cup with nine season titles in one discipline.

▼ Staff Pick

Amber Glenn is a contender to win Olympic gold. She says coming out is a big reason why.

At the world-class level of sports, miniscule differences can separate winners from losers, and gold from silver or bronze. I have long been fascinated by how athletes identify those tiny margins and tweak their training to account for them. In the case of Amber Glenn, a figure skater from Texas who will represent the U.S. at next month's Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, her string of three consecutive U.S. championships has come from not only physical improvements to her skating, but also the lifting of a mental burden.

Glenn does not see it as coincidence that she has produced the most successful stretch of her career since coming out in 2019 as bisexual and pansexual. She had concerns about how fans, judges and sponsors would receive her announcement, but those were outweighed by her desire to no longer hide a part of herself, she said. It hasn't held her back. When the Olympics start, she could become the first U.S. woman to medal in singles figure skating since 2006.

— Andrew Greif, sports reporter

▼ NBC Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

Analog hobbies have taken over our feeds this month. If you're looking to spend more time offline, our editors rounded up the best Lego sets for adults that will help you reconnect with your inner child. Board games and puzzles are also great options that will keep you off your devices without getting bored.