Multiple gun rights groups, which are typically supportive of President Donald Trump and his policies, are enraged over the administration’s response to the deadly shooting of an armed protester in Minneapolis over the weekend.
In the hours after anti-ICE protester Alex Pretti was shot and killed by Border Patrol agents on a Minneapolis street, multiple officials in the Trump administration suggested that anyone who carries a firearm at a protest is breaking the law and inflaming tensions.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Saturday, “I don’t know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign. This is a violent riot when you have someone showing up with weapons and are using them to assault law enforcement officers.” FBI Director Kash Patel referred to Noem’s comments during an interview on Fox News on Sunday, adding, “As Kristi said, you cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have that right to break the law and incite violence.”
The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus, which focuses on defending “the right to keep and bear arms” for Minnesotans, said that Patel’s comments were “completely incorrect on Minnesota law.”
“There is no prohibition on a permit holder carrying a firearm, loaded, with multiple magazines at a protest or rally in Minnesota,” the gun owners caucus added.
Other gun rights groups criticized Bill Essayli, the U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, after he said, “If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you.”
“This sentiment from the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California is dangerous and wrong,” the National Rifle Association said. “Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens.”
Gun Owners of America condemned “the untoward comments of [Essayli],” adding, “Federal agents are not ‘highly likely’ to be ‘legally justified’ in ‘shooting’ concealed carry licensees who approach while lawfully carrying a firearm. The Second Amendment protects Americans’ right to bear arms while protesting—a right the federal government must not infringe upon.”
Gun Owners of America then called on the Left to “stop antagonizing” federal immigration agents on the streets. After Pretti was shot, hundreds of people descended on the scene. According to the Department of Homeland Security, one leftist agitator bit off the finger of a federal officer. The NRA released another statement on Saturday condemning Minnesota Democrats over their refusal to work with federal immigration officers.
“For months, radical progressive politicians like Tim Walz have incited violence against law enforcement officers who are simply trying to do their jobs,” the NRA said. “Unsurprisingly, these calls to dangerously interject oneself into legitimate law-enforcement activities have ended in violence, tragically resulting in injuries and fatalities.”
At least one member of the Trump administration had an acceptable response to the shooting in the eyes of gun rights activists. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche was praised by Gun Owners of America when he told NBC, “There’s nothing wrong with anybody lawfully carrying firearms.”
“But whether he was disarmed, or whether he pulled the gun on law enforcement, or whether law enforcement saw him go for the gun —what they have to do is protect themselves. They have to protect the public around them. And we’ll see what happens,” Blanche added.
The Daily Wire reached out to the Justice Department and the DHS for comment.
President Donald Trump mentioned the fact that Pretti was carrying a firearm at the protest, asking, “What is that all about? Where are the local Police? Why weren’t they allowed to protect ICE Officers? The Mayor and the Governor called them off?”
Pretti was licensed to carry a firearm when he was shot and killed. DHS said on Saturday that a Border Patrol agent fired “defensive shots” as Pretti was “violently” resisting arrest. Pretti appeared to be shot ten times in about five seconds.
“The suspect also had 2 magazines and no ID—this looks like a situation where an individual wanted to do maximum damage and massacre law enforcement,” Homeland Security added. Video shows that Pretti was filming federal immigration officers with his phone as they conducted an operation. A group of federal agents then wrestled Pretti to the ground in an attempt to arrest him. One video angle appears to show an officer disarming Pretti before gunfire erupted. The investigation remains ongoing, but so far, the Trump administration has defended Border Patrol’s actions.
The Trump administration has urged Minnesota Democratic leaders to cooperate with federal immigration officers, but Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, both Democrats, have continued to oppose Trump’s immigration operations in the state and have demanded that ICE and Border Patrol leave.
Trump has doubled down on the federal immigration operations in Minnesota following the deadly shooting over the weekend. On Sunday, the president also called on Congress to pass legislation to “END Sanctuary Cities,” which he called “the root cause of all these problems.”
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