{"id":2551464,"date":"2026-01-25T14:49:02","date_gmt":"2026-01-25T19:49:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/massie-says-carrying-gun-not-death-sentence-after-pretti-shooting\/"},"modified":"2026-01-25T14:51:18","modified_gmt":"2026-01-25T19:51:18","slug":"massie-says-carrying-gun-not-death-sentence-after-pretti-shooting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/massie-says-carrying-gun-not-death-sentence-after-pretti-shooting\/","title":{"rendered":"Massie says carrying gun not &#8216;death sentence&#8217; after Pretti shooting"},"content":{"rendered":"<aside class=\"mashsb-container mashsb-main mashsb-stretched\"><div class=\"mashsb-box\"><div class=\"mashsb-count mash-medium\" style=\"&quot;\"><div class=\"counts mashsbcount\">20<\/div><span class=\"mashsb-sharetext\">SHARES<\/span><\/div><div class=\"mashsb-buttons\"><a class=\"mashicon-facebook mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservativenewsdaily.net%2Fbreaking-news%2Fmassie-says-carrying-gun-not-death-sentence-after-pretti-shooting%2F\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Facebook<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-twitter mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=&amp;url=https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/?p=2551464&amp;via=ConservNewsDly\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Twitter<\/span><\/a><a class=\"mashicon-subscribe mash-medium mash-nomargin mashsb-noshadow\" href=\"#\" target=\"_top\" rel=\"nofollow\"><span class=\"icon\"><\/span><span class=\"text\">Subscribe<\/span><\/a><div class=\"onoffswitch2 mash-medium mashsb-noshadow\" style=\"display:none\"><\/div><\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                <div style=\"clear:both\"><\/div><\/aside>\n            <!-- Share buttons by mashshare.net - Version: 4.0.47--><p>Rep. Thomas Massie defended the right to carry a firearm after a Border Patrol agent fatally shot 37-year-old Alex Pretti during a Minneapolis protest. Video cited in the report shows Pretti \u2014 who had a concealed-carry permit \u2014 being pepper-sprayed and wrestled to the ground while helping another protester; an agent is seen carrying what appeared to be Pretti\u2019s gun away before shots were fired. Trump governance officials, including homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and FBI Director Kash Patel, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/pritzker-says-trump-wants-mayhem-in-chicago-for-more-troops\/\" title=\"Pritzker says Trump wants &#039;mayhem&#039; in Chicago for more troops\">defended federal agents<\/a> and suggested the shooting may have been justified; First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said officers likely would be legally justified in shooting people approaching them with a gun. Massie sharply rebuked that view on X, saying \u201ccarrying a firearm is not a death sentence\u201d and criticizing officials who don\u2019t respect constitutional gun rights. The NRA also condemned essayli\u2019s comments and urged patience for a full inquiry. the incident has prompted legal and public scrutiny and further political tension between Massie and the Trump-aligned GOP, which is supporting a primary challenge to him in 2026.  <\/p>\n<p class=\"readmore\">\n    <button onclick=\"showReadMore()\" id=\"readmorebtn\">Read more&#8230;<\/button>\n<\/p>\n<hr id=\"line\">\n<span id=\"more\"><\/p>\n<p><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><?xml encoding=\"utf-8\" ?><\/p>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-header-search-button-mob dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><span class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-button\"><i class=\"tdb-mobile-menu-icon td-icon-mobile\"><\/i><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search\" aria-labelledby=\"td-header-search-button\">\n<div class=\"tdb-drop-down-search-inner\">\n<form method=\"get\" class=\"tdb-search-form\" action=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/\"><\/form>\n<div class=\"tdb-aj-search\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/#\" role=\"button\" aria-label=\"Search\" class=\"tdb-head-search-btn dropdown-toggle\" data-toggle=\"dropdown\"><i class=\"tdb-search-icon td-icon-search\"><\/i><\/a><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<h1 class=\"tdb-title-text\">Massie says carrying gun &lsquo;not a death sentence&rsquo; as Trump officials defend Pretti shooting<\/h1>\n<div><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-title-line\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\">\n<div id=\"Brid_2477849\" class=\"tpd-featured-video bridtv\"><\/div>\n<p>Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) defended the &ldquo;Constitutionally protected God-given right&rdquo; to carry a firearm after a <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/investigations\/4431020\/activist-group-organize-minneapolis-high-school-student-ice-protest\/\">Minneapolis<\/a> protester carrying a handgun was shot by a Border Patrol agent on Saturday.<\/p>\n<p>The Trump administration is defending federal law enforcement after a shooting left Alex Pretti, 37, dead, with video showing he was disarmed before being <a href=\"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/suspect-in-fatal-shooting-of-iowa-officer-has-long-criminal-history\/\" title=\"Suspect in fatal ... of Iowa officer has long criminal history\">shot multiple times<\/a>. Pretti was helping another protester who had been shoved to the ground when an <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3YuVZYV\" >agent began pepper-spraying<\/a> him from behind and wrestled him to the ground with the help of several other agents. During the struggle, an agent was seen carrying what appeared to be Pretti&rsquo;s gun away, with the fatal shots being fired seconds later.<\/p>\n<div class=\"recommended-stories\">\n<h2>Recommended Stories<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4432820\/bondi-letter-walz-minnesota-ice-pretti-shooting\/\">Bondi offers path to end &#8216;chaos&#8217; in Minnesota in letter to Walz seeking voter rolls<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4432812\/judge-dhs-destroying-evidence-pretti-shooting\/\">Judge blocks DHS from &#8216;destroying or altering&#8217; evidence in Alex Pretti shooting<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4432743\/aclu-federal-officers-minnesota-alex-pretti-shooting\/\">ACLU seeks reinstated constraints on federal officers in Minnesota after Alex Pretti shooting<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-paywall\">\n<p>Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said on Fox News&rsquo;s <em>The Sunday Briefing <\/em>that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/atrupar\/status\/2015459695738187777?s=20\">agents were reacting to someone shouting &ldquo;Gun, gun, gun!&rdquo;<\/a> and FBI Director Kash Patel claimed on Fox News&rsquo;s <em>Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo<\/em> that <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/BulwarkOnline\/status\/2015449932363178070?s=20\">people can&rsquo;t bring a firearm &ldquo;loaded with multiple magazines&rdquo; to a protest<\/a> despite Pretti having a concealed carry permit. Noem had said on Saturday that Pretti was a domestic terrorist.<\/p>\n<p><strong><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/energy-and-environment\/4432495\/noem-stay-alert-massive-weekend-snow-storm\/\">NOEM TELLS AMERICANS TO STAY &lsquo;ALERT&rsquo; AHEAD OF MASSIVE WEEKEND SNOW STORM<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California Bill Essayli took to X on Saturday to address the shooting, claiming &ldquo;there is a high likelihood&rdquo; law enforcement will be &ldquo;legally justified&rdquo; in shooting people approaching them with a gun. His statement prompted a rebuff from Massie.&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Carrying a firearm is not a death sentence, it&rsquo;s a Constitutionally protected God-given right, and if you don&rsquo;t understand this you have no business in law enforcement or government,&rdquo; Massie said on X.<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Carrying a firearm is not a death sentence, it&rsquo;s a Constitutionally protected God-given right, and if you don&rsquo;t understand this you have no business in law enforcement or government. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/pWPNo9dmLO\">https:\/\/t.co\/pWPNo9dmLO<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; Thomas Massie (@RepThomasMassie) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/RepThomasMassie\/status\/2015423469060517891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 25, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script data-cfasync=\"false\" src=\"http:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/cdn-cgi\/scripts\/5c5dd728\/cloudflare-static\/email-decode.min.js\"><\/script><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p>The National Rifle Association also pushed back on Essayli&rsquo;s &ldquo;dangerous and wrong&rdquo; assessment of the shooting. The organization also said &ldquo;responsible&rdquo; people should await a full investigation instead of &ldquo;demonizing law-abiding citizens.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"550\" data-dnt=\"true\">\n<p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">This sentiment from the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California is dangerous and wrong.<\/p>\n<p>Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/t.co\/9fMz3CL29o\">https:\/\/t.co\/9fMz3CL29o<\/a><\/p>\n<p>&mdash; NRA (@NRA) <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/NRA\/status\/2015227627464728661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">January 25, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script> <\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<p><a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/justice\/4427568\/judge-denies-massie-khanna-request-independent-monitor-release-epstein-files\/\"><strong>FEDERAL JUDGE DENIES MASSIE AND KHANNA&rsquo;S REQUEST FOR &lsquo;INDEPENDENT MONITOR&rsquo; OVER RELEASE OF EPSTEIN FILES<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Massie&rsquo;s stance on Pretti and the Minneapolis shooting marks his latest stance contrasting with the Trump administration. Most recently, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/policy\/foreign-policy\/4430179\/house-vote-trump-war-powers-venezuela\/\">he was one of two Republicans to support a measure<\/a> seeking to rein in President Donald Trump&rsquo;s war power, which failed in a tie vote of 215-215.<\/p>\n<p>Trump is pushing to primary Massie in the 2026 midterm election cycle, <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/campaigns\/congressional\/4407568\/trump-endorses-massie-challenger-ed-gallrein\/\">asking &ldquo;all MAGA Warriors&rdquo; to back his endorsed candidate<\/a> to run against Massie, Ed Gallrein. <a target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" href=\"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/news\/3918749\/major-2026-elections-to-watch-california-texas-maine\/\">The primary election is set for May 19<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"tdb-block-inner td-fix-index\"><\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Massie: Carrying gun isn\u2019t a death sentence<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2632,"featured_media":2551465,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25322628856013-e1769363466727.jpg?w=696","fifu_image_alt":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[],"tags":[4850,71885,11684],"class_list":["post-2551464","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-massie","tag-pretti-shooting","tag-self-defense"],"fifu_image_url":"https:\/\/www.washingtonexaminer.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/01\/AP25322628856013-e1769363466727.jpg?w=696","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2551464","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2632"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2551464"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2551464\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2551468,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2551464\/revisions\/2551468"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2551465"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2551464"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2551464"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.conservativenewsdaily.net\/breaking-news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2551464"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}