Following the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a federal agent who believed his life was in danger, Patel sparked fury from gun rights groups when he told the Fox News Channel, "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 that right to break the law and incite violence."
Luis Valdez, a national spokesman for Gun Owners of America (GOA), disagrees with that contention.
"We the people have the right to exercise our voice and speak freely, and we have the right to carry while doing it," he tells AFN. "The responsibility that comes with it is we have to be respectful and lawful, but the other side of that is government has to recognize that our rights are inalienable, and they cannot be violated in any way, shape, and form."
Valdez says GOA agrees with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, who framed the situation as an "incredibly split‑second decision" for federal officers but told NBC's "Meet the Press" there is "nothing wrong with anybody lawfully carrying firearms."
As a private citizen and as a police officer, Valdez says he carries a loaded handgun and two spare magazines everywhere he goes.
"The idea of carrying a pistol and two reloads on you isn't anything earth-shattering," he submits. "It's a common practice that hundreds of thousands to millions of Americans do every day. "
Minnesota law allows legally‑armed individuals to carry at demonstrations, and officials say Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry. The 37-year-old intensive care nurse reportedly had no criminal record.
According to official statements from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the Department of Homeland Security, federal agents responded with lethal force when Pretti pointed his loaded firearm at them during their confrontation.
"We want a full investigation of this incident," Valdez tells AFN.
