The fatal shooting of a man Saturday by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis has renewed debate over the Second Amendment and concealed carry laws. But this time, the political roles were reversed.
The right to bear arms has been a big issue for the Republican Party for decades. Conservative politicians have strongly defended the Second Amendment by successfully passing gun rights laws, such as concealed carry, in every state. Alex Peretti, the Minneapolis shooting victim, was legally carrying a firearm. But senior Trump administration officials say he has no right to do so.
“You can’t bring a loaded firearm with multiple magazines to any type of protest you want. It’s that simple,” director Kash Patel said.
However, President Donald Trump supported Kyle Rittenhouse after he shot and killed two men who tried to grab his gun during protesters following a shooting involving police. Additionally, some of the rioters on January 6 were armed, and many Republicans supported a Missouri couple who pointed their firearms at protesters after the killing of George Floyd.
The killing sparked notable tension with the Republican Party’s longstanding support for gun rights. Officials say Pretty was armed, but no bystander videos yet show him carrying a weapon. The Minneapolis police chief said Pretty had a permit to carry a weapon.
However, administration officials, including Noem and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, have questioned why he was being armed. Speaking on ABC’s “This Week”, Picent said that when he attended the protests, “I didn’t bring a gun. I brought a billboard.”
Such comments were notable for a party whose support for protecting gun ownership under the Second Amendment is central. In fact, many GOP members, including Trump, elevated Kyle Rittenhouse to prominence when the 17-year-old former police cadet shot three men, killing two of them, during a 2020 protest in Wisconsin against police brutality. He was acquitted of all charges after testifying that he acted in self-defense.
In the wake of Pretty’s killing, gun rights advocates have pointed out that it is legal to carry firearms during protests.
“Every peaceful citizen of Minnesota has the right to keep and bear arms — including while attending protests, serving as observers or exercising their First Amendment rights,” the Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus said in a statement. “These rights don’t go away when someone is lawfully armed.”
“Responsible public voices should wait for a full investigation, not make generalizations and demonize law-abiding citizens,” the National Rifle Association said in a social media post.
“Carrying a firearm is not a death sentence,” said Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., who is often critical of the White House.
“It is a right from God protected by the Constitution, and if you don’t understand this, you have no business in law enforcement or government,” he said.
The second Justice Department official said he was aware of reports that Preity was legally armed.
“There’s nothing wrong with anyone legally carrying firearms,” Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche said on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “But make no mistake about it, this was an incredible split-second decision that had to be made by ICE officers.”
“The height of hypocrisy continues outside the White House, where it struggles to find a reason to show why these agents are justified,” said Jim Durkin, former Illinois House Republican leader.
Dworkin says the hypocrisy surrounding the Minneapolis issue will continue to divide the Republican Party. While it took more than 20 years to pass a restricted concealed carry law in Illinois, residents have the right to carry a loaded firearm to protest. Minnesota shares the same rights.
“Mr. Peretti did not violate the law with respect to the Second Amendment. He had a protected right, and the law in Minnesota did not prevent him from carrying a firearm,” said Rob Chadwick of the American Concealed Carry Association.
But Chadwick, a former FBI agent, says the law becomes risky if an armed person inserts himself into a law enforcement operation. The USCCA and a growing number of Republicans are calling for a full investigation into Pretty’s death.
“When you take that step and become physically involved in a law enforcement action, it is very dangerous and unintended consequences occur,” Chadwick said.
Meanwhile, White House spokeswoman Carolyn Leavitt says Trump absolutely supports the Second Amendment for law-abiding Americans, but not for people who obstruct immigration enforcement.
ABC Chicago station WLS and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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