NRA Minnesota statements: Calls out ‘dangerous and wrong’ sentiment
Border Patrol Commander, ICE update on MN shooting
We are hearing more this Sunday from Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino one day after the deadly Minneapolis shooting involving federal law enforcement agents. This comes after Bovino said the man killed by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis was repeatedly shot because he had a loaded handgun. Alex Pretti, 37, was killed after being shot by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis Saturday morning. Bovino addressed the media, taking questions about the recent shooting, the ensuing protests and unrest, and current immigration operations both in Minnesota and nationwide.
The National Rifle Association is urging patience and a "full investigation" into the killing of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
Here’s what to know about Pretti’s death, and what the NRA is saying about it:
Alex Pretti Minneapolis shooting
Judge orders evidence in Pretti shooting preserved
A judge made an overnight ruling to grant a temporary restraining order that says the federal government must preserve all evidence related to the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Alex Pretti by a U.S. Border Patrol agent.
The backstory:
Alex Pretti, 37, was killed after being repeatedly shot by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis Saturday morning. He had been taken to the ground, was face down on the street and being detained by several agents when he was shot.
Pretti had a permit to legally carry a firearm, according to Minneapolis Police, and Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino defended the agent who fired his weapon and blamed Pretti for carrying his own loaded 9mm handgun.
Videos of the shooting appeared to show that the man had been disarmed after being taken to the ground and before shots were fired.
READ MORE: Minneapolis shooting: Video shows Border Patrol agent fatally shoot man
NRA statements on Minnesota shooting
FILE - A National Rifle Association (NRA) logo hitch cover sits on display ahead of the NRA annual meeting in Dallas, Texas, U.S., on Thursday, May 3, 2018. Photographer: Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Big picture view:
The NRA shared a statement on Saturday in the hours after the killing, seeming to suggest it had stemmed from the encouragement from "radical progressive politicians like Tim Walz" to interject with violence against law enforcement officers in the city.
The organization then urged patience and for political voices to "lower the temperature" as the investigation unfolds and more details become available.
What they're saying:
"For months, radical progressive politicians like Tim Walz have incited violence against law enforcement officers who are simply trying to do their jobs. Unsurprisingly, these calls to dangerously interject oneself into legitimate law-enforcement activities have ended in violence, tragically resulting in injuries and fatalities.
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."
Dig deeper:
Later on Saturday, the organization spoke publicly about the shooting again – this time in response to the seeming suggestion from a U.S. attorney under the Trump administration that the border patrol agent’s shooting of Pretti could be likely justified since Pretti was carrying a gun.
What they're saying:
"If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you," Bill Essayli, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, wrote on X, in response to DHS’s initial statement on the shooting, which claimed Pretti approached officers with a 9mm semi-automatic handgun.
"Don’t do it!" Essayli added.
The NRA responded to Essayli’s tweet:
"This sentiment from the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California is dangerous and wrong. Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens.
The other side:
The Department of Homeland Security has previously claimed it is "unlawful" for protesters or observers to bring a firearm to demonstrations, but 2nd Amendment legal experts say that argument is "absurd."
Minneapolis shooting: DHS claims it's unlawful for protesters to carry gun
Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino claimed the man killed by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis was repeatedly shot because he had a loaded handgun. The man had a legal permit to carry a firearm, according to Minneapolis Police, but DHS has argued it is "unlawful" for protesters to bring a firearm to a demonstration. Alex Pretti, 37, was killed after being repeatedly shot by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis Saturday morning.
And at least one local gun rights advocacy group agrees.
"Every peaceable Minnesotan has the right to keep and bear arms — including while attending protests, acting as observers, or exercising their First Amendment rights," the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus said in a statement. "These rights do not disappear when someone is lawfully armed."
What's next:
A growing number of Republicans are pressing for a deeper investigation into federal immigration tactics in Minnesota, and Democrats are vowing to oppose the homeland security funding bill that is making its way through the Senate this week.
READ MORE: After latest Minneapolis shooting, Democrats move to block DHS funding bill
The Source: Information in this article was taken from public statements made on X by Essayli and the NRA. Background information was taken from Minneapolis Police and FOX 9 KMSP reportings, and from The Associated Press. This story was reported from Detroit.