Minneapolis Shooting Outrage

Guest Post by Tim Allen, friend and colleague of 25 years

My Fellow Americans…

What is happening in Minnesota is something no American should be willing to tolerate. In recent weeks, two people have been killed during federal enforcement operations in Minneapolis. One was Alex Pretti, a U.S. citizen who was legally present, lawfully armed, and participating in a public protest. Another was Renée Nicole Good, killed during an earlier federal operation. Video evidence of these incidents is now public. And yet, instead of clear explanations and accountability, the executive branch has asked the country to accept a narrative that conflicts with what can plainly be seen.

Irrespective of party, ideology, or political tribe, this is a moment that demands we stop retreating into an “us versus them” mindset and look honestly at what occurred.

Alex Pretti was exercising his First Amendment right to protest and his Second Amendment right to carry a firearm legally. Those rights don’t belong only to people we like or agree with. They belong to all Americans. And judging by his actions in that moment—stepping in to help someone in distress—he was exactly the kind of person we hope would be nearby if we or our loved ones needed help.

A U.S. citizen—legally carrying a firearm with a permit—was disarmed by government agents and then shot multiple times after being disarmed. That fact alone should stop people in their tracks. The Second Amendment guarantees the right to bear arms, and this individual complied with the law. If you believe in the Second Amendment, this should prompt outrage and serious scrutiny.

If you are a professional law enforcement officer—someone trained in the lawful use of deadly force—the footage should be especially difficult to watch. Mr. Pretti was swarmed by multiple agents, chemically sprayed, pummeled, and disarmed. Deadly force came after that. Even in volatile, fast‑moving situations, professionally trained officers are taught to make disciplined judgments under pressure, especially once a subject is subdued and no longer poses a threat. Every basic use‑of‑force standard taught to law enforcement across the country holds that once a suspect is disarmed and restrained, lethal force is no longer justified. That isn’t politics. That’s doctrine.

What makes this even worse is the gaslighting that followed.

We are being told these people are “domestic terrorists.” Yet the video involving Alex Pretti shows something very different: a registered nurse attempting to help a woman who had been pushed to the ground. People can see this with their own eyes. When officials insist otherwise, they aren’t clarifying the facts—they’re insulting the public’s intelligence.

What’s most alarming is that leadership within the Department of Homeland Security and the executive branch continues to blame the victim rather than confront the conduct that led to his death. That signals a dangerous shift. Those leaders swore an oath to the Constitution. When the executive branch closes ranks and attempts to rewrite what the public can plainly see, accountability is undermined and trust is eroded.

We the People broadly support removing violent individuals who are in this country illegally. That isn’t controversial. What is controversial are the methods now being used—methods that are intentionally aggressive, inflammatory, and designed to provoke confrontation. The result is a cycle of escalation that keeps us locked in an “us versus them” mindset, arguing over tactics instead of addressing legitimate objections to the methods themselves.

So what can be done?

Regardless of your politics, you can contact your representatives—call, write, email, tweet, whatever method you’re comfortable with—and say this plainly: Enough. Leadership that excuses this behavior is failing its duty to the Constitution and to the public. Silence only invites repetition. As the warning often attributed to Edmund Burke reminds us, the loss of rights does not require widespread malice—only the inaction of good people.

When government power is exercised this recklessly, it doesn’t just harm one individual or one movement. It weakens the protections that apply to all of us.

And that should outrage everyone.