Minneapolis, Minnesota — Gun rights organizations are pushing back against federal claims surrounding the fatal shooting of 37-year-old ICU nurse Alex Pretti, arguing that lawful firearm possession does not justify the use of deadly force by federal agents.
Pretti, a Minneapolis resident and U.S. citizen, was shot and killed by federal immigration agents during an enforcement operation. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara has confirmed that Pretti was a legal gun owner with a valid permit to carry. Video footage from the scene appears to show Pretti holding a cell phone, not a firearm, moments before officers wrestled him to the ground.
The Department of Homeland Security has claimed Pretti approached Border Patrol officers with a handgun and posed a lethal threat, with DHS Secretary Kristi Noem asserting he intended to “massacre law enforcement.” However, no publicly released video shows Pretti brandishing or aiming a weapon, and multiple clips contradict the federal narrative.
The controversy intensified after Bill Essayli, a senior federal prosecutor and Trump ally, suggested there was a “high likelihood” officers would be legally justified in shooting someone who approaches them while armed. That statement drew sharp criticism from gun rights advocates.
The National Rifle Association called the suggestion “dangerous and wrong,” while Gun Owners of America said the Second Amendment protects the right to bear arms even while protesting or observing law enforcement activity. The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus demanded a full and transparent investigation, warning that lawful gun ownership cannot be treated as evidence of criminal intent.
The shooting has placed unusual pressure on federal officials, with both civil liberties advocates and gun rights groups questioning the justification for lethal force.
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