The National Rifle Association (NRA) has joined other US gun lobby groups in calling for a full investigation by the Trump administration into the killing of Alex Pretti, a registered nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital, who was fatally shot by a border agent in Minneapolis.
The initial reports from state and federal officials present starkly different accounts. While the Trump administration claims that Pretti posed a danger with a firearm, available footage does not corroborate this narrative.
The NRA condemned a statement from a federal prosecutor suggesting that individuals carrying guns risk being lawfully shot by officers, labeling it dangerous and wrong. They emphasized the necessity of a thorough investigation into officer-involved shootings.
In their statement, the NRA stressed, Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens. This reaction came after comments from First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli, who warned that approaching law enforcement with a gun significantly increases the likelihood of being shot.
Essayli faced criticism from various gun advocacy groups and political leaders, including Republican Thomas Massie, who asserted that carrying firearms is a constitutionally protected right.
For the second time in the month, a federal agent has been involved in a fatal shooting in Minneapolis related to ICE operations. Bystander accounts and video footage show conflicting accounts of Pretti's shooting, raising further public concerns.
The Department of Homeland Security asserted that Pretti was a threat to the officers, claiming he carried a gun during the incident, which officials characterize as defensive shots taken in response to Pretti's actions.
Governor Tim Walz of Minnesota dismissed the administration's account as nonsense and lies, while Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey denounced ICE's actions, likening them to an invasion.
