President Donald Trump on Tuesday expressed “love” for the Pretti family, days after members of his administration said the man killed during a federal immigration enforcement raid was committing domestic terrorism.
Alex Pretti was fatally wounded Saturday in Minneapolis while filming immigration enforcement officers. Although Trump administration officials initially said Pretti brandished a weapon, video evidence showed that was not the case. The footage showed he was carrying a gun that agents pulled from him moments before he was shot.
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"I'm looking at that whole situation. I love everybody,” Trump said. “I love all of our people. I love his family. And it's a very sad situation."
Trump’s deputy chief of staff, Stephen Miller, had described Pretti as an "assassin." Trump rejected that characterization Tuesday.
On Saturday, Trump questioned why Pretti had a gun, prompting pushback from Second Amendment advocates, including the National Rifle Association. Trump stood by those remarks.
“You can't have guns. You can't walk in with guns. You just can't. You can't walk in with guns. You can't do that. But it's just a very unfortunate incident,” Trump said.
While Department of Homeland Security officials, including Kristi Noem, quickly defended the agents, Trump would not say Tuesday whether the shooting was justified.
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“We're doing a big investigation. I want to see the investigation. I'm going to be watching over it. I want a very honorable and honest investigation. I have to see it myself,” he said.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz has called for a state-led investigation into the shooting.
