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 claims Pretti carried a gun and posed a danger to officers, while no available video footage corroborates this assertion.
The NRA labeled a suggestion by a federal prosecutor that individuals who carry guns 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 reacted to comments made by Bill Essayli, First Assistant US Attorney for the Central District of California, who stated that approaching law enforcement with a gun increases the likelihood of being shot. In response, the NRA noted the importance of thorough investigations into officer-involved shootings.
For the second time this month, federal agents were involved in a fatal shooting linked to a crackdown on illegal immigration by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agency. Footage from bystanders captured moments before Pretti was shot and has contributed to the varying narratives from state and federal officials.
Homeland Security officials shared an image of a weapon they claimed belonged to Pretti, stating he was a threat to officers. However, this was met with skepticism by local leaders, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who criticized the federal response as attempts to misrepresent the incident.
