Border agents shot and killed Alex Pretti, a 37-yr-old American citizen.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said during a press conference before any investigation had been conducted that the dead suspect was killed by border agents because he “arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement."
Pretti was in possession of a gun, but he was carrying a gun legally. I would argue that Pretti should not have gone to a protest with a gun, but carrying a gun legally should not carry a death sentence. Noem also said that anyone carrying a gun is someone who is looking for trouble. WOW! Her comments are in direct conflict with the rights granted in the Second Amendment.
During many conversations about the Second Amendment on my talk show on WWL-AM-FM-WWL.com and the Audacy app, I have talked to countless responsible citizens who own and carry guns who are only interested in protecting themselves - they are not looking for trouble.
Shortly after calling her out for her comments on my talk show, President Trump issued a statement proclaiming that every American has a right to carry a gun. (Well, not every American, but you understand his point.) It was obvious that Secretary Noem disregarded the Second Amendment as she tried to explain a tragic shooting in a way that benefits her department.
The administration’s narrative that Pretti was intent on shooting agents and that he had no ID is not supported by any of the numerous videos that have been shown and studied. The collection of videos do not show that border agents ever asked Pretti for an ID and that they did not shoot him in self-defense.
When border agents or ICE agents shoot and kill an American citizen there are legitimate reasons for questions because of the administration’s aggressive tactics in their public effort to remove criminal illegal immigrants from society. When it comes to ICE agents, the administration admitted that because of the rush to get a certain number of agents on the streets to meet quotas that the training for ICE agents was shortened significantly. So, it was more important to just get people on the street than it was to get qualified people on the street who were adequately trained in what to do.
- The training period of NOPD is 26-weeks (about 6 months).
- The training period for Jefferson Parish Sheriff Deputies is 4 to 5 months (about 120 to 150 days).
- The average training for law enforcement in America is 5 to 6 months.
The reduced training for ICE agents under this administration is 42 to 48 days. Different sources have varying training periods but none are more than 48 days.
When videos show ICE agents being overly aggressive, it’s easy to come to the conclusion that they are not properly trained, yet they patrol our streets with guns and wear military- type uniforms and cover their faces with masks. Why are their faces covered? Is it for the same reason as the KKK? There are law enforcement officers across this country who do not wear masks. Is it because the administration knows that ICE is going beyond legal boundaries?
The prerequisite for law enforcement to shoot a suspect is to protect their life or the lives of others. In all of the angles shown in the shooting death of Pretti, at no time does it appear that any ICE officer’s life is in danger. The gun that the suspect was carrying had been removed from an officer BEFORE the shooting began. Ten shots were fired within about 5 seconds, and Pretti was shot in the back.
Secretary Noem and ICE officials have said that Pretti had NO identification, but at no time in the videos do any ICE agents ask him for an ID.
The videos appear to show that the administration is lying to the American people about how government agents shot and killed an American citizen.
We have reached a frightening nexus in the history of America. The tension unfolding visually on the news every day in Minnesota is a microcosm of the tension across America. Americans are divided and the divide over ICE vs. protesters is reflective of a battle of Americans vs. Americans. We are at verbal war with each other.
There will be those who find ways to justify the border agent and ICE agent shootings because they have invested so much in supporting this president that they are incapable of criticism even in the face of the obvious. Many who will support the shooting will simply echo what they are fed by the right-wing media echo chamber and act like they came up with an original idea.
Watch the video of the killing of Alex Pretti and explain how all of those agents on top of him could not have controlled him and how with the removal of the gun their lives were in danger.