1. United States
2. Colo.
3. Letter

I am writing as a responsible gun owner of 35 years to express my deep concern about the federal government's actions following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis on Saturday. This incident represents a dangerous erosion of Second Amendment rights that should alarm every lawful gun owner in America. Alex Pretti was legally licensed to carry a concealed firearm in Minnesota. Eyewitness videos show federal agents discovering and removing his weapon during the altercation, but the videos do not show Pretti holding the weapon during the confrontation. Despite this, Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the shooting by arguing that his possession of a firearm demonstrated he did not intend to remain peaceful, stating she does not know "any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign." This justification is constitutionally indefensible. The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus corrected FBI Director Kash Patel's false claim that carrying a loaded firearm with multiple magazines at a protest is illegal in Minnesota. There is no such prohibition for permit holders under Minnesota law. Constitutional lawyer Bruce Fein, who served in the Nixon and Reagan administrations, stated clearly: "It can't be the case that exercising a right protected by the U.S. Constitution exposes you to killing or arrest." Reports indicate that DHS may have been tracking Pretti as a known protester, and Secretary Noem is creating a database of protesters. Why does the federal government need to maintain surveillance lists of Americans exercising their First Amendment rights? This is the kind of government overreach that the Second Amendment exists to check. This is not the first time this administration has shown disdain for gun rights. During his first term, President Trump stated "take the guns first, go through due process second," demonstrating a willingness to bypass constitutional protections. I urge you to publicly oppose this federal overreach and demand accountability for the killing of a legally armed citizen. The Second Amendment cannot mean one thing for some Americans and something else when the government finds it inconvenient.