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Rocky Mountain Gun Owners weigh in on anti-gun comments by Trump administration

Members of Trump administration place blame on Minneapolis shooting victim for carrying a gun
Rocky Mountain Gun Owners weigh in on anti-gun comments by Trump administration
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Rocky Mountain Gun Owners is the latest gun rights group to speak out against comments from the Trump administration about Alex Pretti, the man fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis on Saturday.

Members of the administration said Pretti did not have the right to possess a firearm at the protest.

Border Patrol agents shot and killed the 37-year-old Pretti after multiple officers wrestled him to the ground when he was seen filming them clashing with protesters.

Family members said Pretti owned a handgun and had a permit to carry a concealed handgun in Minnesota.

Videos of the incident show one of the officers removing what appears to be a gun from a holster near Pretti's waist just before gunshots are heard.

Following the shooting, FBI Director Kash Patel 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 the right to break the law."

"No one who wants to be peaceful shows up at a protest with a firearm that is loaded with two full magazines," Patel added.

Homeland Security Director Kristi Noem said, "I don’t know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign."

President Trump himself on Tuesday said protesters “can’t have guns.” And later in the day, "I don’t like that he had a gun,” Trump said. “I don’t like that he had two fully loaded magazines. That’s a lot of bad stuff.”

Tuesday afternoon, Denver7 anchor Shannon Ogden asked Dudley Brown, founder and president of Rocky Mountain Gun Owners, whether a person could carry a gun while peacefully protesting.

"I will defend his right to carry and the rights of citizens to carry even at a protest. In fact, I think that is a place you should carry," said Brown.

"The fact that you put the firearm on your hip and conceal it or open carry it doesn't change your actions and shouldn't. In fact, my belief is it actually makes you more peaceful," added Brown.

Ogden also reached out to constitutional law expert Ian Farrell, a professor at the University of Denver's Sturm College of Law.

Ogden asked whether Pretti carrying a gun that he had a permit to carry, puts any blame on Pretti for being shot. Farrell said the law is clear on Second Amendment rights.

"To say that the exercise of a constitutional right allows law enforcement to use lethal force against you is to say you don't actually have that right," said Farrell.

Ogden asked Brown if his group plans to contact the Trump administration about these comments.

"I can tell you that I did contact highly placed members in the administration just a few days ago with three letters: W. T. F."

Rocky Mountain Gun Owners weigh in on anti-gun comments by Trump administration

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Denver7 | Your Voice: Get in touch with Shannon Ogden
Denver7 evening anchor Shannon Ogden reports on issues impacting all of Colorado’s communities, but specializes in covering local government and politics. If you’d like to get in touch with Shannon, fill out the form below to send him an email.