Senior figures within the MAGA movement have faced significant criticism from their fellow conservatives and even the National Rifle Association for their rapid declarations that the Department of Homeland Security's fatal shooting of a protester in Minneapolis was justified. The incident, which resulted in the death of 37-year-old nurse Alex Pretti, has sparked a fierce debate about Second Amendment rights and the use of force by federal agents.
Immediate Condemnation from Conservative Voices
Speaking shortly after the fatal shooting on Saturday, Border Patrol commander Greg Bovino stated that the situation appeared to involve an individual who wanted to cause maximum damage and massacre law enforcement. He noted that the suspect had two loaded magazines and no assessable identification. However, this characterisation was swiftly challenged by prominent conservative voices.
Former National Rifle Association spokeswoman Dana Loesch, once one of the country's most prominent advocates for Second Amendment rights, strongly objected to the suggestion that Pretti was in the wrong simply for carrying his legally-owned handgun. In a pointed response to Bovino, she wrote that such statements do not help clarify the situation.
Legal Possession Versus Threat Assessment
Loesch emphasised that the critical issue was not what Pretti possessed, but what he was doing with it. She questioned whether he had drawn the weapon on agents, reached for it, or if it was merely on his person. Loesch argued that being legally armed is fundamentally different from being armed while actively obstructing federal law enforcement officers.
Her criticism extended to Bill Essayli, a Trump-appointed prosecutor serving as First Assistant US Attorney for the Central District of California. Essayli had written on social media that approaching law enforcement with a gun creates a high likelihood of legally justified shooting. Loesch challenged this assertion, arguing that legal possession of a firearm does not equate to approaching officers in a threatening manner.
Organisational Backlash and Second Amendment Concerns
The National Rifle Association itself condemned Essayli's statement as dangerous and wrong, marking a significant moment of discord within conservative circles. Meanwhile, Responsible Gun Owners of America issued a strong statement criticising what they called untoward comments from the prosecutor.
The organisation asserted that federal agents are not highly likely to be legally justified in shooting concealed carry licensees who approach while lawfully carrying a firearm. They emphasised that the Second Amendment protects Americans' right to bear arms while protesting a right they believe the federal government must not infringe upon.
Contradictory Accounts and Emerging Evidence
The shooting occurred while Pretti was protesting the arrest of an Ecuadorian migrant named Jose Huerta-Chuma, whom the Department of Homeland Security noted had previous charges including domestic abuse and driving without a license. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem stated that Pretti had brandished a gun at her agents and defended the shooting as an act of self-defense.
However, video evidence that has emerged since the incident appears to cast serious doubt on Noem's assertion. This has led to further condemnation from MAGA sources who have accused her of speaking before knowing the full facts of the situation.
Detailed Account of the Fatal Encounter
Alex Pretti, an intensive care nurse at Minneapolis Veterans Affairs hospital, was seen holding his phone to film agents on Saturday morning near Glam Doll Donuts on the corner of 26th Street and Nicollet Avenue. The situation escalated when he went to help an unidentified female protester who had been shoved by DHS agents, leading to a physical confrontation.
Footage shows Pretti being pepper-sprayed before being shoved to the ground with multiple DHS agents attempting to hold him down. Crucially, the video appears to show one agent clearly removing Pretti's handgun from his waistband. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O'Hara confirmed that Pretti held a concealed carry license and that the weapon was legally registered.
The Fatal Shots and Aftermath
A few seconds after the gun was removed, one of the DHS agents shot Pretti in the back. The same agent then fired nine additional shots, with Pretti seen falling to the ground and dying at the scene. The agent responsible for the shooting is reportedly an eight-year veteran of the Department of Homeland Security who is originally from Minnesota.
In the wake of the incident, Minneapolis lawmakers have taken legal action to preserve evidence from the scene ahead of a possible investigation. None of the agents involved have been publicly named as the community and nation grapple with the complex implications of this fatal encounter between a legally armed citizen and federal law enforcement.
