Alex Pretti's Ribs Were Allegedly Broken by Federal Agents a Week Before His Death

Following the January 2026 fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by federal agents in Minneapolis, we have learned a lot about the Veterans Affairs ICU nurse. Almost immediately after Pretti's death, a video of him paying tribute to a recently deceased veteran began circulating online. Pretti took care of Terry Randolph, and according to his son Mac, the nurse brought a "sense of calm" to his father's final days, per CBS News.

Heather Zielinski had a friendship with Pretti that spanned a decade. She told NPR that Pretti was a good man and a hard worker who cared for people. In the wake of his death, DHS Secretary Kristi Noem labeled Pretti a domestic terrorist while Stephen Miller accused him of being a would-be assassin. When asked about that, Zielinski called them cowards, liars, and traitors. A week before Pretti's death, he reportedly got his rib broken in a separate altercation with federal agents. Here's what happened.

Sources told CNN that federal immigration officers have been tracking and collecting information about protesters in Minneapolis since they arrived. It's not clear when Pretti got on their radar, but these same sources told the outlet that Pretti's rib was broken during a separate incident that occurred a week before he was killed.

In early January 2026, a memo was sent to agents temporarily stationed in Minneapolis. This memo was reviewed by CNN, which confirmed the request that agents "capture all images, license plates, identifications, and general information on hotels, agitators, protestors, etc.," so they could capture it all in one consolidated form. The Department of Homeland Security told the outlet that DHS law enforcement has no record of the previous incident with Pretti.

A source who asked to remain anonymous told CNN that Pretti was driving when he saw ICE agents chasing a family on foot. Pretti stopped his car, got out, and began blowing his whistle. He later told the source that five agents tackled him, and that one of them was leaning heavily on his back. This encounter allegedly left Pretti with a broken rib.

Records of Pretti's medical treatment were reviewed by CNN, which confirmed he was treated for a broken rib. "That day, he thought he was going to die," said the source. Border Czar Tom Homan, who replaced former Customs and Border Protection commander-at-large Greg Bovino in Minneapolis, wants to create a database of protesters. He told Fox News's Laura Ingraham that he wanted to let the employers, neighbors, and schools know "who these people are." It's worth noting that all ICE agents wear masks.