NRA slams federal prosecutor’s post about Minneapolis shooting: ‘Dangerous and wrong’

(CNN) - The National Rifle Association criticized a Trump appointee for rushing to judgment on Saturday’s deadly shooting carried out by federal agents in Minneapolis.

First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli, a top federal prosecutor in Los Angeles, posted on social media that if a person approaches law enforcement with a gun, there’s a good change that officer will be justified in shooting that person.

The NRA reacted to the prosecutor’s comments, calling them dangerous and wrong. The gun rights group said prosecutors should not demonize law-abiding citizens and should wait until a full investigation is complete.

So far, there’s no evidence to suggest the victim in Minneapolis, 37-year-old Alex Pretti, pointed a gun at federal officers involved in an immigration enforcement operation. Video from the scene does not show Pretti pointing a weapon at anyone.

However, the 37-year-old did have a gun on him, and officers tried to wrestle the weapon away. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem says Pretti resisted officers, and moments later, a U.S. Border Patrol agent opened fire, killing him.

The fatal shooting has sparked protests across the country.

Minneapolis’ police chief said Pretti was a lawful gun owner and had a permit to carry.

Essayli responded to the NRA by accusing them of mischaracterizing his original message.

“I never said it’s legally justified to shoot law-abiding concealed carriers. My comment addressed agitators approaching law enforcement with a gun and refusing to disarm,” he wrote on social media. “My advice stands: If you value your life, do not aggressively approach law enforcement while armed.”

The investigation into the shooting is ongoing. It was the second fatal shooting by federal law enforcement officers in Minneapolis this month amid an immigration crackdown in the city.