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 delivered starkly different accounts. The Trump administration maintains that Pretti was armed and posed a danger to officers, though no available video evidence supports the claim that he was holding a gun.
The NRA criticized a federal prosecutor’s remark suggesting that individuals who carry guns might risk being shot by officers, describing it as dangerous and wrong.
In its statement, the NRA urged for a full investigation and cautioned public figures against making generalized accusations against law-abiding gun owners.
Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalisations and demonising law-abiding citizens, stated the NRA.
The NRA's response came after the First Assistant US Attorney for the Central District of California, Bill Essayli, remarked on social media, warning that approaching law enforcement with a gun significantly increases the likelihood of being shot.
In defense of the Second Amendment, the Gun Owners of America emphasized the right to protest while armed, insisting that the federal government must not infringe on this right.
Amidst the uproar, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz condemned the federal version of events as nonsense and lies, while Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey accused ICE of manipulating the narrative to justify their actions.
This incident marks the second fatal shooting involving federal agents in Minneapolis related to the enforcement of illegal immigration by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency this month.
Regarding Pretti's case, conflicting narratives continue as both sides await further investigations and clarity on the events leading to the tragic shooting.
