The recent killing of Minneapolis ICU nurse Alex Pretti by Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) officers has sparked public outrage and led to the resurfacing of a past tweet by Charlie Kirk that challenges the assertions made by the Trump administration.
Following the incident where 37-year-old Pretti was shot at point-blank range, federal officials, including DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and CBP Chief Greg Bovino, labeled him as an armed ‘domestic terrorist’ with intentions to harm agents.
Video footage from the scene shows Pretti filming ICE and CBP activities in the city before he was shot 10 times while assisting another protester. Despite the evidence, some Republican figures have argued that the nurse’s holstered pistol justified the shooting.
New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew stated, “Peaceful protesters don’t have 9mm weapons with two extra magazines,” following the incident.
In response, those questioning the narrative that blames Pretti for his own death have pointed to an old tweet by Charlie Kirk that contradicts this viewpoint.
The tweet from the now-deceased conservative figure begins: “The 2nd amendment is not for hunting, it is not for self protection.” Kirk’s 2018 post further states: “It is there to ensure that free people can defend themselves if god forbid government became tyrannical and turned against its citizens.”
This interpretation of the 2nd Amendment is commonly shared, emphasizing citizens’ rights to “keep and bear Arms” as protection against a tyrannical government.
By sharing this old social media post, critics highlight the inconsistency between federal officials’ current stance and the views held by Charlie Kirk and similar advocates.
FBI Director Kash Patel also weighed in, saying: “You cannot bring a firearm loaded with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It is that simple.”
These views seem to contradict much of the Republican Party’s historical support for gun rights, as seen in the case of Kyle Rittenhouse, who was deemed to be exercising his constitutional rights during a protest when he openly carried an assault rifle and killed two individuals. Following the 2020 incident, Rittenhouse was acquitted, and President Trump and his supporters defended his right to bear arms.
Local gun rights organizations have dismissed the justification for Pretti’s death. The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus stated: “Every peaceable Minnesotan has the right to keep and bear arms – including while attending protests, acting as observers, or exercising their First Amendment rights.”
“These rights do not disappear when someone is lawfully armed,” the statement continued.
Republican Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, a vocal critic of Trump, echoed these views, asserting that ‘carrying a firearm is not a death sentence’ in light of the nurse’s shooting.
Massie added: “It’s a constitutionally protected God-given right, and if you don’t understand this, you have no business in law enforcement or government.”