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 provided contrasting accounts. The Trump administration claims Pretti carried a gun and posed a danger to officers, although no available video evidence shows Pretti holding a firearm.
The NRA took issue with comments made by a federal prosecutor suggesting that individuals who carry guns might lawfully be shot by officers, labeling the statement as dangerous and wrong.
The NRA stated, Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens. They emphasized the importance of allowing a thorough examination of the facts surrounding the incident.
Reactions to these statements further sparked debate, with Gun Owners of America reaffirming the Second Amendment rights of citizens to bear arms even during protests. Republican Thomas Massie asserted that exercising the right to carry a firearm should not equate to a death sentence.
Meanwhile, critics of the administration's narrative, including Minnesota Governor Tim Walz and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, have condemned the characterization of the incident as a justified use of force, calling it an attempt to vilify peaceful demonstrators.
The incident is part of a concerning trend involving federal agent-involved shootings related to immigration enforcement, and ongoing investigations aim to ascertain the truth amidst the conflicting testimonies.
