‘Insane Claim’: Conservatives Call Out DHS Second Amendment Hypocrisy — Amid Claims Man Shot and Killed Was

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Some conservatives were quick to push back on the Department of Homeland Security’s claims following a 37-year-old man being shot and killed.

A Minnesota resident — identified by the Minnesota Star Tribune as Alex Jeffrey Pretti — was shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis on Saturday morning. Footage from the scene showed officers tussling with Pretty before multiple shots go off. The man was later declared dead.

DHS claimed in their statement about the event that the man had been armed and acted as a threat to agents who were conducting an operation in the area.

“The officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted. More details on the armed struggle are forthcoming. Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots,” they said.

DHS said the suspect had two magazines and no ID. They posted a picture of the pistol the suspect allegedly had and claimed he wanted to cause “maximum damage and massacre law enforcement.”

Some conservatives and Second Amendment activists, however, questioned whether a rush to judgement was being made about a lawful gun owner. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara said at a press conference that authorities believes the suspect was a “lawful gun owner.”

“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!” First Assistant US Attorney for Central District of California Bill Essayli posted, one of a number of posts to receive pushback.

“This is an insane claim. You’re arguing merely being armed in public is justification for police killing you? That’s well beyond even the dubious claims DHS is making,” The Reload founder Steve Gutowski wrote in response.

The former CNN contributor is a longtime firearms reporter and a gun safety instructor.

“This is absolutely not true,” attorney AG Hamilton added. “Simply possessing a firearm does not justify lethal of force. Someone has to signal they will use the weapon in a way that is a threat to law enforcement in order to justify such a use of force.”

Others also questioned whether the firearm’s role was being over-emphasized by officials while some called DHS’ statement irresponsible ahead of an investigation.

“This is wildly irresponsible speculation, regardless of the situation,” The Hill and Reason’s Robby Soave wrote about DHS’ post.

Podcaster Tim Pool questioned whether the man was actually disarmed before he was shot by agents.

“Empty hand, then gun in hand. Appears the man may have been disarmed before being shot. This is a chain of events in a greater conflict. Neither side cares at this point what justifies it or doesnt. I don’t see Trump winning this one,” he wrote.

After Saturday’s shooting, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (D) and Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey (D) renewed calls for federal immigration officials to leave the city.

The latest shooting followed an ICE agent shooting and killing 37-year-old Minneapolis mother Renee Good. ICE officials also say agents acted in self defense in that situation.

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