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The National Rifle Association (NRA) has added its voice to the chorus of US gun lobby groups calling for a “full investigation” by the Trump administration into the death of Alex Pretti in Minnesota.
The NRA’s statement follows the fatal shooting of Pretti, a registered nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital, by a border agent in Minneapolis on Saturday.
Discrepancies have emerged between accounts from state and federal officials. While the Trump administration asserts Pretti was armed and posed a threat to officers, available video footage does not depict him holding a weapon.
The NRA has characterized a suggestion by a federal prosecutor, implying that individuals carrying firearms risk being lawfully shot by officers, as “dangerous and wrong.”
“Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens,” the NRA stated.
The NRA, typically aligned with Donald Trump, was responding to comments made on Saturday night by First Assistant US Attorney for the Central District of California.
Bill Essayli wrote on social media: “If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you. Don’t do it!”
In a separate social media post, the NRA stated: “As there is with any officer-involved shooting, there will be a robust and comprehensive investigation that takes place to determine if the use of force was justified.”
“As we await these facts and gain a clearer understanding, we urge the political voices to lower the temperature to ensure their constituents and law enforcement officers stay safe.”
Essayli’s remarks have drawn criticism from other gun advocacy groups, as well as politicians across the political spectrum.
Gun Owners of America issued a statement asserting: “The Second Amendment protects Americans’ right to bear arms while protesting – a right the federal government must not infringe upon.”
Republican Thomas Massie stated: “Carrying a firearm is not a death sentence, it’s a constitutionally protected God-given right, and if you don’t understand this you have no business in law enforcement or government.”
In a subsequent social media post, Essayli countered that his comments had been taken out of context by critics.
“I never said it’s legally justified to shoot law-abiding concealed carriers,” he stated on X. “My comment addressed agitators approaching law enforcement with a gun and refusing to disarm.”
This marks the second fatal shooting involving federal agents in Minneapolis this month, both linked to a crackdown on illegal immigration by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Bystander video footage has emerged, capturing the moments preceding the shooting of Pretti on Saturday.
The altercation leading to Pretti’s shooting was recorded from multiple perspectives, with conflicting accounts provided by federal and state officials.
The Department for Homeland Security released an image of a firearm purportedly belonging to Pretti, asserting he posed a threat to officers.
On Saturday, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, when asked to clarify whether Pretti had brandished a weapon, stated that agents fired what she described as “defensive shots” while attempting to disarm him.
“They responded according to their training, and took action to defend the officer’s life and those of the public around him. And, I don’t know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign.”
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has denounced the Trump administration’s version of events as “nonsense” and “lies.”
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey likened the federal operation to an invasion, accusing ICE of “trying to spin this as an action of self-defence.”
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