Federal agents were reportedly familiar with Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti before his fatal encounter with U.S. Border Patrol officers, according to a new report citing sources with knowledge of federal immigration enforcement operations. CNN reported that Pretti’s name had been entered into federal systems prior to his death during a Border Patrol operation on January 24, raising new questions about what authorities knew ahead of time.
A source told CNN that Pretti was considered “known” to federal officials, though it remains unclear how his information was shared internally or whether agents involved in the shooting recognized him during the encounter. Officials have not confirmed how widely Pretti’s name or details may have circulated among federal law enforcement personnel operating in Minneapolis.
The report notes that federal authorities had recently distributed an intake form to agents participating in the Department of Homeland Security’s “Metro Surge” immigration enforcement initiative. The form was intended to collect identifying information on individuals who interfered with or confronted agents during operations. However, it is not known whether Pretti’s information was entered through that form or how the collected data was stored and accessed.
It also remains unclear whether the Border Patrol agents involved in the January 24 incident were aware of any prior interactions between Pretti and federal authorities. During the encounter, agents struggled with Pretti, removed a firearm from his waistband, and fatally shot him. Federal officials have said the shooting occurred amid a rapidly evolving situation, and multiple investigations are still underway.
The CNN report follows earlier accounts of a separate confrontation involving Pretti just one week before his death. Sources said Pretti suffered a broken rib after an encounter with Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents during a protest-related incident. According to those accounts, Pretti stopped his vehicle after seeing ICE officers chasing what he believed to be a family and began shouting and blowing a whistle.
Sources said several agents tackled Pretti during that earlier encounter, with one officer leaning on his back, causing the injury. He was released without arrest but later sought medical treatment consistent with a broken rib and described the incident as traumatic. Despite those claims, the Department of Homeland Security has said it has no official record of the earlier confrontation. As investigations continue, questions remain about what federal agents knew, how information was shared, and whether prior encounters played any role in the events leading to Pretti’s death.