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 that Pretti carried a gun and posed a danger to officers, while available video footage has shown no evidence of Pretti holding a gun.
The NRA labeled a suggestion made by a federal prosecutor that individuals who carry firearms risk being lawfully shot by officers as dangerous and wrong.
Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens, the NRA stated.
The NRA, typically aligned with Donald Trump, was responding to comments made by First Assistant US Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, who wrote 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 asserted that a robust and comprehensive investigation will occur to determine if the use of force was justified and urged political figures to lower tensions to keep constituents and officers safe.
Bill Essayli's comments have faced backlash from other gun advocacy groups and politicians across the spectrum. Gun Owners of America reaffirmed that the Second Amendment protects Americans' rights to bear arms peacefully, asserting that the federal government must not infringe upon this right. Republican Thomas Massie responded, emphasizing that carrying a firearm is a constitutionally protected right.
For the second time this month, federal agents were involved in a fatal shooting linked to immigration crackdowns in Minneapolis. Bystander video footage captured the moments leading up to Pretti's shooting, revealing conflicting accounts from federal and state officials.
The Department for Homeland Security claimed that a gun found at the scene belonged to Pretti, asserting that he posed a threat to officers. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that agents fired defensive shots while attempting to disarm Pretti, asking for clarification on whether he had brandished a gun.
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz characterized the Trump administration's narrative as nonsense and lies, while Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey described the ICE operation as an invasion and accused federal agencies of attempting to misrepresent the shooting as self-defense.
