The National Rifle Association criticized a U.S. assistant attorney’s rush to judgment in the killing of Alex Pretti by Border Patrol officers in Minneapolis on Saturday.
Pretti, a 37-year old U.S. citizen and ICU nurse, had a handgun on his person before his encounter with several immigration officers. But in videos reviewed by several news outlets, Pretti did not appear to reach for his weapon before agents disarmed him and shot him on the ground.
Carrying a handgun in public is legal with a permit in Minnesota, and Pretti was a lawful gun owner – a fact the NRA has seemingly taken into consideration.
The NRA on Saturday refuted a comment made by Bill Essayli, first assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, who posted to X: “If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you.”
The gun rights advocacy group, in a quote tweet on X, called Essayli’s remarks “dangerous and wrong,” adding, “responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens.”
In an earlier statement on Pretti’s killing, the NRA called Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz a “radical progressive politician” and accused him without evidence of inciting violence against law enforcement, but stopped short of defending the officers’ actions.
“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,” the NRA wrote.
The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement on Saturday that “an individual approached U.S. Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun.” Homeland Security Sec. Kristi Noem said at a press conference that the officer who killed Pretti feared for his life and “fired defensive shots.”
Erum Salam is a breaking news reporter for MS NOW, with a focus on how global events and foreign policy shape U.S. politics. She previously was a breaking news reporter for The Guardian.