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 in Minnesota.
Comments from the NRA come after a border agent fatally shot Pretti, a registered nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital, in Minneapolis on Saturday.
State and federal officials have given starkly different accounts. The Trump administration has claimed Pretti carried a gun and posed a danger to officers, while no available video evidence supports the assertion that Pretti was holding a gun.
The NRA labeled a suggestion by a federal prosecutor that individuals carrying firearms might be lawfully shot by officers as dangerous and wrong.
Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalisations and demonising law-abiding citizens, the NRA stated.
The NRA, typically aligned with Donald Trump, reacted to comments from First Assistant US Attorney for the Central District of California made on Saturday night.
Bill Essayli voiced 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 remarked, 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 comments have sparked backlash from other gun advocacy groups and politicians. Gun Owners of America stated: The Second Amendment protects Americans' right to bear arms while protesting—a right the federal government must not infringe upon. Additionally, Republican Thomas Massie asserted: 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.
For the second time this month, federal agents have been involved in a fatal shooting in Minneapolis linked to a crackdown on illegal immigration by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. Bystander video footage has captured the moments leading up to Pretti's shooting, with conflicting accounts from federal and state officials complicating the narrative.
The Department for Homeland Security shared an image of a gun it claims belonged to Pretti and stated that he posed a threat to officers. Meanwhile, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem indicated that agents fired defensive shots while attempting to disarm Pretti.
Local officials, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, have criticized the Trump administration's portrayal of the event. Walz called it nonsense while Frey likened ICE's operations to an invasion, accusing the agency of trying to portray its actions as self-defense.
