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Former National Rifle Association (NRA) spokeswoman Dana Loesch raised questions over the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti in Minneapolis during an interview on Monday, questioning whether lethal force was appropriate, and urging the Trump administration to be more careful with its language.
“My first thought was, I feel like the administration needs to be a little careful with language and language is incredibly important,” Loesch said during an interview on “CBS Mornings.” “We have a duty to be very, very careful with the language that we use. So I wish that Secretary [Kristi] Noem and others would be aware of that because simply approaching law enforcement with a firearm isn’t indicative of ill intent, nor is it a crime.”
Loesch explained that she had been present at protests while open-carrying a firearm and said she had never been shot at or involved in any altercation, noting that impeding law enforcement operations was against the law.
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“CBS Mornings” speaks to former NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch about the fatal Minneapolis shooting on Jan. 26, 2026. (CBS/CBS Mornings)
Loesch said her first thought was about what led up to the confrontation between ICE agents and Pretti. Noem claimed over the weekend that it appeared Pretti “arrived at the scene to inflict maximum damage on individuals and to kill law enforcement,” but publicly circulated video of the incident shows him approaching federal officers holding what appeared to be his phone, filming as agents knocked a female agitator to the ground.
Loesch wondered if lethal force was necessary in Pretti’s case.
“When I watch this, I’ve got questions. Why was there a need for lethal force? I want to know what the officers thought because, obviously, they felt like their lives were in danger. None of us were there, right there on the ground in those matter of seconds where it happened, so that’s why I think we need to let the investigation play out here,” Loesch said.
CBS host Vladimir Druthiers noted that she had written on her Substack that the videos appeared to show the weapon was removed from Pretti’s waistband.
Loesch responded, “That’s what it suggests.”
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A Border Patrol member pepper sprays observers after getting into a car accident on Blaisdell Avenue on Jan. 21, 2026, in Minneapolis, Minn. (Stephen Maturen/Getty Images)
A representative for U.S. Customs and Border Protection did not immediately return a request for comment from Digital. Federal agents from ICE and Border Patrol have been under intense scrutiny as Trump administration immigration enforcement operations continue around the country.
State officials said Pretti had a lawful Permit to Carry (PTC), and court records obtained by Digital indicate he did not have a criminal record.
The Minneapolis shooting has sparked a clash among gun rights groups, pitting defenses of lawful carry and protest rights against warnings about escalating anti-law-enforcement rhetoric.
“Every peaceable Minnesotan has the right to keep and bear arms — including while attending protests, acting as observers, or exercising their First Amendment rights. These rights do not disappear when someone is lawfully armed, and they must be respected and protected at all times,” The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus wrote in a statement.
The statement also said that the shooting was “deeply concerning” and called for a transparent investigation.
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Protesters against Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) march through the streets of downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota, on Jan. 25, 2026. (Roberto Schmidt/Getty Images)
The National Rifle Association (NRA) released a statement on social media blaming Democratic leaders in Minnesota for “incit[ing] violence” against law enforcement officers and calling on people to lower the temperature amid ongoing unrest.
Loesch also said during the CBS interview that the scenes in Minneapolis had been unhelpfully created by leaders who “have not walked back their rhetoric and told people, let’s not impede investigations, but let’s protest, you know, on the sidewalk or nearby, but let’s not impede.”
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‘ Alexandra Koch, Alex Miller and Elizabeth Elkind contributed to this report.
