US EditionGun rights groups challenge shooting of legally armed Minneapolis man
Gun rights groups including the NRA demand a full investigation into the shooting of licensed carrier Alex Pretti amid disputed claims of threat by federal agents.
- On Saturday, January 24, 2026, federal agents fatally shot Alex Jeffrey Pretti, 37, who was carrying a 9 mm semi-automatic on the streets of Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- Earlier this month, a prior fatal federal shooting heightened tensions across Minneapolis as Department of Homeland Security officials said officers fired defensive shots during the Trump administration immigration operation amid widespread Twin Cities protests.
- Bystander videos show an agent in a gray jacket draw Pretti's holstered gun and leave the scrum before shots, while footage appears to capture a ski-masked agent firing into Pretti's back and clips show Pretti holding a phone at the start.
- Gun-Rights groups immediately demanded a full investigation as Kristi Noem said DHS will lead the probe, while Minnesota officials vowed their own inquiry after DHS blocked state law enforcement from the scene.
- The incident has become a focal point in the nationwide debate over public carry rights, as the NRA criticized Bill Essayli's warning that approaching law enforcement with a gun could justify deadly force.
84 Articles
84 Articles
Gun groups split with Trump admin over Minnesota shooting
The death of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis is opening a new fault line between President Donald Trump and his conservative base as gun rights groups denounce what they say are a series of anti-Second Amendment statements justifying the shooting. The Trump administration has faced withering GOP criticism after officials argued that Pretti, a 37-year-old ICU nurse, presented a threat to immigration agents because he brought a lawfully obtained firear…
Friction emerges as gun rights groups clash with Trump officials over Minnesota shooting
Friction is growing between gun rights groups and some Trump administration officials over their comments following this weekend’s fatal shooting in Minneapolis by federal agents. Bill Essayli, the administration’s top prosecutor in Los Angeles, warned there is a “high likelihood” that law enforcement would be “legally justified” in shooting gun owners who approach them while [...]
White House press secretary stumbles when cornered on Trump’s support of the 2nd Amendment
Over the weekend several top officials in President Donald Trump's administration argued that it was unacceptable to bring a gun to a protest. When press secretary Karoline Leavitt was corned on it during Monday's press breifing, however, she stumbled in her answer. The reporter who asked the question cited the Fox News interview with FBI Director Kash Patel, who said, “You cannot bring a firearm, loaded, with multiple magazines to any sort of p…
The National Rifle Association: 'Don't demonize those who carry weapons in compliance with the law' (ANSA)
"Dangerous and wrong": Gun rights groups challenge ICE shooting of Alex Pretti
Gun rights groups are taking aim at the Trump administration’s justification for the killing of 37-year-old Minneapolis protester Alex Pretti, calling for a “full investigation” into the shooting. FBI Director Kash Patel said Pretti’s intentions were to “break the law and incite violence” by bringing a firearm to a protest against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. “No one who wants to be peaceful shows up at a protest with a firearm that is l…
FBI director Patel becomes clear: Alex Pretti, who was killed in Minneapolis, cannot have been peaceful because he brought a weapon to protest. A few years ago, he sees it quite differently and defends a young death shooter.
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