SARAH MCCAMMON, HOST:
This is ALL THINGS CONSIDERED from NPR News. I'm Sarah McCammon. Tensions remain high in Minnesota, where local and federal officials continue to fight over the killing of Alex Pretti. The 37-year-old U.S. citizen and VA nurse was shot dead by federal officers during an immigration enforcement protest in Minneapolis on Saturday. Pretti's killing has prompted strong bipartisan condemnation today in Congress, a forceful defense from the Trump administration and the prospect of another government shutdown. NPR's Luke Garrett joins us now to explain. Hi, Luke.
LUKE GARRETT, BYLINE: Hello, Sarah.
SARAH MCCAMMON: Well, let's start in Minneapolis, Luke. What do we know about the investigation into Pretti's killing?
GARRETT: Local and state law enforcement remain at odds with federal officials. The Department of Homeland Security is investigating this deadly shooting, but they're not cooperating or sharing information with those local and state investigators. Senator Tina Smith of Minnesota accused the Trump administration of a, quote, "cover-up" Sunday. She told NPR the federal government is ignoring a recent court order that allows state investigators access to the evidence around Pretti's killing.
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TINA SMITH: Our state investigators had to get a warrant to have access to the evidence of the shooting of Alex Pretti. And even then, the federal agents refused to give them access to the evidence.
GARRETT: Now, Smith called on the Trump administration to preserve the evidence and share it with those local and state investigators. And it's worth noting here, Sarah, that three moderate GOP senators echoed this call. Those are Senators Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska. Murkowski went further and called for congressional hearings as well.
SARAH MCCAMMON: And what are we hearing from the Trump administration?
GARRETT: The Trump administration, you know, continues to defend the federal agents who killed Pretti. They also criticized the 37-year-old VA nurse, you know, saying he was, quote, "perpetrating violence." Here's the head of President Trump's immigration operation, Border Patrol commander, Greg Bovino, on CNN.
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GREG BOVINO: That suspect injected himself into that law enforcement's - into that law enforcement situation with a weapon.
GARRETT: Now Sarah, the video evidence and eyewitness accounts that have surfaced so far refute that assertion. There has been no evidence that NPR has verified of Pretti brandishing his handgun at any time during the encounter with federal agents. And to be clear, legally carrying a concealed firearm is protected by the Second Amendment of the Constitution.
SARAH MCCAMMON: OK. So what are gun rights groups saying about this?
GARRETT: So they are taking issue with a post from Trump-appointed U.S. attorney Bill Essayli. He said if a U.S. citizen approaches law enforcement with a gun, federal officers, quote, "will be legally justified in shooting you." The gun rights group the NRA, you know, called this post, quote, "dangerous and wrong." Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky and frequent Trump critic, went a step further saying Essayli had, quote, "no business in law enforcement or government."
SARAH MCCAMMON: So there is bipartisan pushback against this killing and the Trump administration's response. What can Congress actually do?
GARRETT: Well, Senate Democrats are poised to partially shut down the government. The deadline for government funding is Friday, and the Senate still needs to approve the funding for some government departments. One of them is the DHS. After Saturday's killing, Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota told NBC she just can't vote for the current funding package. Senators Jacky Rosen and Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Angus King of Maine have all said they won't vote for it, either. That's notable. They're very moderate Democratic senators as well. So on Saturday, Senate Majority - Minority Leader Chuck Schumer said Democrats would not vote to advance the spending package if it includes this DHS funding, so it's setting up a fight in Congress.
SARAH MCCAMMON: NPR's Luke Garrett, thanks so much.
GARRETT: You bet. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.
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