Rand Paul Eviscerates Trump Admin ‘Lies’ On Alex Pretti Shooting: ‘Terrible Judgement’

mediaite ^ | Feb 2, 2026 | Alex Griffing

[backpacker_c]

Paul addressed federal officials’ claims that Pretti posed a threat to ICE officers.... I saw no evidence of him assaulting the police,” Paul said.

“The president’s advisor, Stephen Miller, called Pretti an assassin. That’s a lot of people–not telling the truth,” Pelley added.

Paul shook his head at Miller’s statement and added, “It sounds like terrible judgment. I mean, terrible conclusions, incorrect conclusions, stating things that no one else believes.

[Williams]

Rand Paul’s statement is just as irresponsible as was noem’s statement.

The guy wasn’t just retreating. He was interfering with the arrest, then interfering with ICE dealing with a woman protestor, and then violently resisting the officers when they tried to subdue him.

Just my guess this shooting was a mistake, but Rand Paul doesn’t need to go in public and give everyone his brilliant and probably wrong analysis.

[cowboyusa]

He can say goodbye to his seat in 2028.

[jimwatx]

Sorry but the ICE officers involved in this were TOTALLY INCOMPETENT.

[metmom]

Exactly right.

To democrats, laws are simply tools to hamstring republicans with because laws certainly DON’T apply to leftists/democrats.

[ConjunctionJunction]

Sorry, but I disagree.

[No name given]

Big time!

[No name given]

You and me both.

[No name given]

That’s the sad truth.

[No name given]

Just like his son.

[SaxxonWoods]

You keep talking about stuff that isn’t germane. It was illegal to carry the weapon and ammo where he was, and while doing what he was doing.

People who carry guns while fighting with police while carrying guns get shot, a lot. No illegal carry, no shooting.

[dforest]

I don’t think he was there to shoot cops. I think that under the circumstances of the violence and obfuscation by the mob toward the ICE agents that it is quite possible for some of them to think that could be the case.

It was something that happens in the chaos caused by the mob attacking and interference that did not have to happen had it just been a peaceful protest.

[backpacker_c]

There was nothing to indicate he intended to use his weapon.

While he was disarmed of the sig 320....

he had been resisting officers, and reached for his back.

Since he had not been searched for other weapons, the officers could not know if he was reaching for another weapon to attack the officers and would have had to shoot to defend themselves.

First office trying to remove holstered gun

Balaclava officer notices and pulls his gun out just before first officer removes gun

officer with p320 turns away with gun, while balaclava moves behind pretti and the accidential discharge goes off

note balaclava agent doesn't shoot immediately after the first shot goes off. officers not directly engaged start backing off. the two agents in front of pretti are still trying to control his arms

pretti gets his right arm free, and is reaching behind his back for something. nobody clearly sees or knows what he is reaching for

you're an agent who knows a firearm was removed from pretti. he still has not been searched for other weapons, but he's reaching for something behind his back.

balaclava agent fires first the first of 3 shots, because pretti is still struggling and has right arm behind his back.

[goodnesswins]

Be interesting...I heard 2 officers involved...1 hispanic and 1 gay...

[FreeReign]

I also didn’t like the administration saying Pretti had no right to bring a loaded gun to the protests.

The administration misspoke. Pretti really had no right to possess a weapon while rioting.

[lodi90]

So do we support Pretti’s right to carry while he was destroying the tail light on an operational ice vehicle, too? There are no 2A rights while a crime is being committed, obviously.

Marxist insurrectionists are using passive aggressive tactics to goad federal law enforcement into exactly what happened in this case. Don’t be duped and give them aid.

[gloryblaze]

Who would want to post the Mediate TDS propaganda organ to Free Republic ?

Any thread can easily be skipped. IMHO, living in an echo chamber is foolish, but live by your own rules.

[FreeReign]

There was nothing to indicate he intended to use his weapon.

Doesn't matter. He was in possession of a gun while he was rioting. That IS an additional crime.

[frank ballenger]

So, why was he carrying a total of three magazines?

You are right. Unless he planned a mass shooting event in advance, he would not need those magazines to repel a mugger or a carjacker.

[Ge0ffrey]

Eviscerates? No. Has a nuanced disagreement? Perhaps. (If you read the article...)

[rdcbn1]

Lets wait and see what the evidence shows.