The National Rifle Association and pro-Second Amendment advocacy groups are demanding a full investigation into the shooting of Alex Pretti. Earlier this year in Minneapolis — a city recently defined by violent protests and aggressive toward Immigration Customs Enforcement operations — Pretti was shot during a deliberate confrontation aimed at sabotaging federal immigration law. While he was a committed activist integrated into a network designed to disrupt ICE officers, he was also a citizen legally and lawfully carrying a handgun.
This pushback comes from the recent ICE crackdown labeled “Operation Metro Surge,” which has been largely successful with over 4,000 federal agents focused on arrests in the Twin Cities. Yet, their efforts have had their fair share of controversial issues along the way — including the deaths of Renee Good and Pretti, with the shootings occurring within a 2-mile radius of each other. This further highlights the hardships that both Americans and ICE officers are dealing with at the moment.
The specific case of Pretti is layered in controversy, as video evidence has been released to the public, many have taken to social media to express their opinion on the matter. Most notably, the NRA made a post on X:
The exchange between the NRA and Bill Essayli, the first assistant U.S. attorney for the Central District of California, was a jarring departure from the group’s usual posturing. Despite spending more than $60 million on the last two presidential cycles to support Republican candidates, the historically conservative organization is now demanding a full-blown investigation into the tragedy that struck on Jan. 24, 2026.
The events have received little compassion from the current administration. Indeed, Vice President JD Vance labeled both Good and Pretti “domestic terrorists.” The NRA, however, contested that characterization in the case of Pretti — a lawful gun owner with a valid Minnesota permit to carry. As local officials confirmed that Pretti maintained a clean criminal record, the divide between the administration’s narrative and the documented facts has only continued to widen. Though Pretti approached the officers with the intent to disrupt activities, he did not exhibit or brandish a weapon.
FBI Director Kash Patel made a comment during an appearance on Fox News, saying, “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have the right to break the law and incite violence.” The NRA and other pro-gun advocate groups have rapidly responded, they wrote in a Tuesday post on social platform X.
President Donald Trump even chimed in on the controversy, telling reporters at the White House on Tuesday, “You can’t have guns. You can’t walk in with guns.” Something seems to be amiss within the current administration, as its support for the Second Amendment seems to be situational to serve its best interests and agenda. The fact that Pretti was killed while not brandishing a weapon seems to be unjust, and while he approached the ICE officers, he seemed to have no intention of using his firearm.
To make matters worse, the FBI notified the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Appeals on Feb. 13, 2026, that it would not share evidence collected from the scene, including body camera footage from the agents. Cooperating and getting to the bottom of this apparent tragedy should be at the top of the FBI’s to-do list, yet they seem to be stalling by stating that they wouldn’t share important evidence during the investigation.
BCA Superintendent Drew Evans said in a statement:
“While this lack of cooperation is concerning and unprecedented, the BCA is committed to thorough, independent and transparent investigations of these incidents, even if hampered by a lack of access to key information and evidence. Our agency has committed to the FBI and Department of Justice that should its stance change we remain willing to share information that we have obtained with that agency and would welcome a joint investigation. We will continue to pursue all legal avenues to gain access to relevant information and evidence.”
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The FBI and the Trump administration face an important decision: cooperate with the investigation or continue to impede the release of the truth. They now have a clear choice — work with local authorities to uncover what happened, or keep obstructing a lawful inquiry into the death of a law-abiding American.
By withholding body camera footage and shielding federal officers from scrutiny, the administration isn’t just protecting a botched operation — it is actively undermining the Second Amendment rights it once claimed to champion. If the ‘law and order’ presidency only applies when it is politically convenient, then the administration has moved beyond mere inconsistency and into the realm of outright hypocrisy.