Tennessee Republican challenges FBI director over gun-carry rights

After Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents shot a Minnesota man who was legally carrying a handgun, House Republican Caucus Chair Jeremy Faison spoke in defense of Second Amendment rights. (Photo: John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout)

A Tennessee Republican leader is questioning the FBI director’s comments about the legality of carrying a weapon at a protest after federal agents apparently shot a man to death at a Minneapolis protest.

House Republican Caucus Chairman Jeremy Faison pushed back against statements made by FBI Director Kash Patel about the shooting death of Veterans Administration nurse Alex Pretti. Multiple news outlets report Pretti was trying to protect two women and was holding only a cell phone in one hand when he was wrestled to the ground by federal agents, beaten and then shot to death after they found a weapon on him.

Patel said on a Sunday morning talk show, “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 a right to break the law.” His comments echoed those of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.

Faison, who isn’t seeking re-election to a ninth term in the General Assembly, took exception to Patel’s statements, saying in a post on X, “Kash you could not be further from the truth. Showing up at a protest is very American. Showing up with a weapon is very American. Freedom loving patriots carry guns. Everywhere. Reference the Boston Tea Party.”

Faison said Monday he wasn’t sure if his sentiments match those of other Republicans and added, “but I do know 100% that the Bill of Rights is not up for debate regardless of who is in power. Some things transcend political parties and should be sacred.”

He appears to be among a number of Republicans nationally, though, who are raising questions about the incident in Minneapolis, where protests are growing daily as federal agents carry out a massive operation to deport immigrants without permanent legal documentation of citizenship.

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Pretti’s death on top of the Jan. 7 shooting of Renee Good by an agent with Immigration and Customs Enforcement, also in Minneapolis, is leading Democrats to refuse to vote for increased funding for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. The Minneapolis mayor demanded the federal government end the ICE and Border Security buildup in the city.

The shooting response also led gun-rights groups to criticize the Trump administration when Noem said, “I don’t know of any peaceful protester that shows up with a gun and ammunition rather than a sign,” a precursor to Patel’s statement.

The Gun Owners Caucus of Minnesota said Patel was “completely incorrect” about Minnesota state law and pointed out permit holders aren’t prohibited from carrying guns with extra ammunition at protests or rallies.

The FBI defended Patel by saying he was talking about the practicality of showing up at a protest with a weapon.

But the Gun Owners Caucus of Minnesota said Pretti was a lawful gun owner and carry permit holder, according to local officials. The group demanded an investigation by state and federal authorities.

“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 group said in a statement.