A major gun rights group has strongly criticized a Trump official’s statement that the shooting death of Minneapolis protester Alex Jeffrey Pretti was “legally justified” because Pretti had a firearm. The criticism came after U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, who works in the Trump administration, posted on social media platform X about the Saturday incident.
According to Mediaite, Essayli said that carrying a gun near law enforcement automatically makes a shooting justified. “If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you. Don’t do it!” Essayli wrote.
The facts about the shooting of Alex Jeffrey Pretti show that Essayli’s statement may be misleading. Pretti was a protester in Minneapolis who walked toward Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents. Video evidence shows he was holding his phone, not a gun, because he wanted to record their actions.
Gun rights advocates say lawful carry permits cannot justify deadly force
Pretti’s family confirmed he had a legal permit to carry a concealed handgun in Minnesota. According to video evidence, the ICE agents tackled Pretti to the ground and then took the handgun from him. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) later said that agents shot Pretti nine times “in self-defense.”
Gun Owners of America (GOA), which has about two million members, quickly responded to the incident. The group first called for complete transparency. “We are saddened by the loss of life in Minneapolis, Minnesota earlier today during a federal law-enforcement operation,” the group said.
They added that “it is essential that the Department of Justice conduct a complete, transparent, and prompt investigation so the public can fully understand what occurred and maintain confidence in the rule of law.”
GOA then directly criticized Essayli’s comments. “Furthermore, we condemn the untoward comments of U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli. Federal agents are not ‘highly likely’ to be ‘legally justified’ in ‘shooting’ concealed carry licensees who approach while lawfully carrying a firearm,” the group stated. Recent footage has sparked debate about the incident, with questions about what actually happened.
GOA emphasized that the right to carry firearms extends even to protests, and the federal government cannot take away this right. The group also called on “the Left” to stop “antagonizing immigration and border patrol agents who are taking criminals off the streets and play a crucial role in protecting communities and upholding the rule of law.”
The National Rifle Association (NRA), which has about five million members, has not commented on the incident. Many people on social media have questioned why the larger organization has not defended Pretti’s right to carry a licensed firearm. Meanwhile, Trump’s response to the video footage has raised additional questions about the administration’s position.
Published: Jan 25, 2026 02:15 pm