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Kash Patel responds to claims he used FBI planes for 'joyrides'
Fox News
FBI Director Kash Patel had his claims about Alex Pretti’s killing community-noted on social media because they were wrong.
On Saturday (24 January), 37-year-old US citizen and intensive care nurse for veterans Alex Pretti was shot and killed by an ICE agent in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Pretti’s killing took place during a protest in the city against ICE’s presence in the city, following the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good by a US Immigration agent and the detention of many people, including a five-year-old child, by the agency.
Video footage of the moment Pretti was fatally shot has circulated online and appears to show the nurse going to the aid of a woman who had been shoved to the ground by ICE agents.
Following this, he was pepper-sprayed, surrounded and brought to the ground by ICE agents, one of whom appeared to remove a gun from his body and move away from him, before 10 shots were fired at Pretti in less than five seconds.
In an interview with Fox News, FBI head Patel appeared to suggest that Pretti’s death was justified because he was carrying a firearm – an act that is permitted under the Second Amendment.
Patel claimed: “As Kristi [Noem] (Secretary of Homeland Security) said, you cannot bring a firearm, loaded, with multiple magazines to any sort of protest that you want. It’s that simple. You don’t have a right to break the law and incite violence.”
But, as was pointed out in the community note that was placed under the snippet of the interview posted on social media, “permit holders may legally carry firearms in public, including during protests” under the Second Amendment.
It continued: “The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that public carry is a constitutional right.”
In response to Patel’s comments, many pointed out instances in which people with right-wing, Conservative beliefs have protested while armed, highlighting his hypocritical and incorrect assertion.
One photojournalist wrote: “Weird, I’ve taken pictures of people bringing firearms, loaded with multiple magazines to protests outside Minnesota Governor @Tim_Walz home and the Minnesota State Capitol.”
The Minnesota's Gun Owners Caucus wrote of Patel’s comment: “This is completely incorrect on Minnesota law.
“There is no prohibition on a permit holder carrying a firearm, loaded, with multiple magazines at a protest or rally in Minnesota.”
Another journalist pointed out: “So Kyle Rittenhouse, who attended a protest armed with a loaded assault rifle and killed 2 people is a right-wing hero.
“But Alex Pretti who had a holstered, permitted handgun, was recording ICE, and tried to help a pepper-sprayed woman deserved to die?
“No one is buying this BS.”
Someone else asked: “So the 2nd Amendment only applies to conservatives?”
“Quick question: Does it matter that the director of the FBI is flat out wrong about what the law says? Because that seems like it should matter. It should be at least embarrassing and possibly utterly damning,” said another.
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