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 follow the fatal shooting of Pretti—a registered nurse at a Veterans Affairs hospital—by a border agent in Minneapolis. The Trump administration claims Pretti was armed and posed a threat, a claim disputed by the absence of any video evidence showing him holding a weapon.
The NRA criticized comments made by a federal prosecutor suggesting that individuals carrying firearms risk being shot by law enforcement, labeling them 'dangerous and wrong'.
'Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalisations and demonising law-abiding citizens,' the NRA asserted in its statement.
These comments came in response to First Assistant US Attorney Bill Essayli's statement that approaching law enforcement with a gun increases the likelihood of being shot legally. In a separate social-media post, the NRA reiterated that a thorough investigation would take place to determine if the use of force was justified, urging political leaders to de-escalate tensions for the safety of all.
The fatal shooting in Minneapolis marks another instance of federal agents being involved in a deadly confrontation related to ICE enforcement efforts.
The Department of Homeland Security alleged Pretti posed a threat, claiming he was armed during the incident. However, conflicting narratives and recorded eyewitness accounts have raised doubts about the official version of events.
Local leaders, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, have condemned the federal description of the incident as 'nonsense and lies', while Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey accused ICE of misrepresenting the circumstances as an act of self-defense.
As the investigation unfolds, communities impacted by these events continue to grapple with the implications on both local safety and the rights of individuals to bear arms.
