"The right to bear arms has been a big Republican Party issue for decades. Conservative politicians have strongly defended the Second Amendment by successfully passing gun rights laws, such as concealed carry, in every state. Minneapolis shooting victim Alex Pretti was legally carrying a firearm. But top Trump administration officials say he did not have a right to do so."
""You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It is that simple," said Director Kash Patel. However, President Donald Trump supported Kyle Rittenhouse after he shot and killed two men who tried grabbing his gun during protesters following a shooting involving police. Additionally, some Jan. 6 rioters were armed, and many Republicans supported a Missouri couple who pointed their firearms at protesters after George Floyd's killing."
"The killing spurred notable tension with the GOP's long-standing support for gun rights. Officials say Pretti was armed, but no bystander videos that have surfaced so far appear to show him holding a weapon. The Minneapolis police chief said Pretti had a permit to carry a gun. Yet administration officials, including Noem and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, have questioned why he was armed. Speaking on ABC's "This Week" Bessent said that when he has attended protests, "I didn't bring a gun. I brought a billboard.""
A Border Patrol agent fatally shot a man in Minneapolis, renewing tensions over the Second Amendment and concealed-carry policies. The victim, Alex Pretti, reportedly had a permit and was legally carrying a firearm, though bystander videos do not clearly show him holding a weapon. Several top Trump administration and Republican figures questioned the appropriateness of bringing firearms to protests. Director Kash Patel condemned armed presence at protests, while historical Republican responses have at times defended armed individuals such as Kyle Rittenhouse and armed Jan. 6 participants, highlighting internal party divisions on gun rights.
Read at ABC7 Los Angeles
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