Sean Strickland, former UFC middleweight champion, ignited a heated debate after publicly defending Border Patrol agents involved in the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti during an immigration enforcement operation in Minneapolis on January 24, 2026. The controversy centers on Pretti’s actions amid the incident and Strickland’s firm stance on gun rights, which has drawn sharp criticism from major pro-gun organizations including the National Rifle Association (NRA).
Alex Pretti, a 37-year-old intensive care nurse working at a Veterans Affairs facility, was killed during the operation. Video recordings scrutinized by multiple media outlets disclosed that Pretti was filming federal agents with his phone before being subdued with pepper spray and wrestled to the ground. Footage indicates that an agent removed a firearm from Pretti’s waistband seconds before another agent fired over ten rounds in rapid succession.
Strickland’s Justification of Police Actions Spurs Backlash
Taking to Twitter, Strickland argued that Pretti, who legally held a Minnesota concealed carry permit, behaved in a way that justified deadly force. He insisted that no responsible permit holder would attempt to draw a weapon or magazine while being arrested. Strickland stated,
Nobody with a CCW is reaching for a mag or gun while being arrested,
expressing that Pretti’s behavior stemmed from radicalization. He added,
This is a case of being radicalized. In my opinion he wanted to die. NO CCW HOLDER WOULD BE THAT STUPID. It was intentional.
Known for openly carrying firearms and his recent connection with Kyle Rittenhouse, who was acquitted after shootings during protests in Wisconsin, Strickland emphasized that any attempt to retrieve a weapon during an arrest
will result in your death 100 percent of the time.
His remarks have created a clear divide in gun advocacy communities.
Division Among Gun Rights Groups Over Pretti Shooting
The NRA, typically aligned with conservative advocates, distanced itself from Strickland’s views by demanding a full investigation into Pretti’s death. It also rebuked a social media comment by Bill Essayli, First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California, who warned,
If you approach law enforcement with a gun, there is a high likelihood they will be legally justified in shooting you. Don’t do it!
The NRA sharply criticized Essayli’s stance, stating,
This sentiment from the First Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Central District of California is dangerous and wrong. Responsible public voices should be awaiting a full investigation, not making generalizations and demonizing law-abiding citizens.
Other gun advocacy figures also responded. Kentucky Republican Representative Thomas Massie condemned Essayli’s comments, arguing,
Carrying a firearm is not a death sentence, it’s a Constitutionally protected God-given right, and if you don’t understand this you have no business in law enforcement or government.
Gun Owners of America, representing two million members, intensified the critique by affirming,
the Second Amendment protects Americans’ right to bear arms
and called for a thorough Department of Justice inquiry. They rejected federal claims that agents might be justified in shooting licensed concealed carry holders lawfully carrying weapons.
Details of the Incident and Official Responses
Minnesota officials confirmed that Pretti had a valid permit to carry a concealed weapon and no criminal history. Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara verified that authorities believed Pretti was legally licensed. Video evidence reviewed by The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and Reuters shows Pretti holding his phone just before agents tackled him, with no indication that he drew his firearm.
Witness reports and frame-by-frame video analysis indicate that Pretti placed himself physically between a federal agent and a woman pushed to the ground, wrapping his arm protectively around her before officers subdued him. According to The Wall Street Journal’s review,
a federal officer pulling a handgun away from Pretti. Less than a second later, an agent fires several rounds.
The case gains further attention given Strickland’s close ties with Kyle Rittenhouse, a figure known for a controversial self-defense shooting acquittal in Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Government Officials Label Shooting and Accuse Pretti
The Department of Homeland Security maintained that Pretti approached officers with a firearm and forcefully resisted disarmament. However, Stephen Miller, White House deputy chief of staff for policy, went further shortly after the shooting by branding Pretti a domestic terrorist who had allegedly
tried to assassinate federal law enforcement
before any formal investigation had commenced.
Pretti’s family strongly disputed these claims, condemning the government’s portrayal as reprehensible and disgusting. They emphasized,
Alex is clearly not holding a gun when attacked by Trump’s murdering and cowardly ICE thugs. He has his phone in his right hand and his empty left hand is raised above his head while trying to protect the woman ICE just pushed down.
The Minnesota Gun Owners Caucus also weighed in, asserting,
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.
Strickland’s Broader Views on Gun Rights and Social Issues
Sean Strickland has garnered a reputation for outspoken and often divisive opinions on gun ownership, gender roles, and politics. He has openly criticized international gun control policies, disparaging Australia’s firearm restrictions after the 1996 Port Arthur massacre by calling Australians English white trash during a UFC 312 press event in Sydney. He similarly condemned Canadian gun laws and clashed with reporters over his critiques.
Besides firearms, Strickland has sparked outrage for offensive remarks about women and the LGBTQ community. In January 2022, he declared,
If I had a gay son I would think I failed as a man to create such weakness.
At a UFC 297 press conference in Toronto, he labeled transgender identity a mental illness and said,
You are an infection. You are the definition of weakness.
He has also expressed disdain for women’s mixed martial arts, stating bluntly:
No one wants to watch this [expletive]. Just what it is.
Strickland’s support for gun ownership extended to the Charlie Kirk shooting incident, where he nearly displayed a weapon during a surprise gathering and openly brandished a gun around children. Advocating traditional roles, he has argued women should return to domestic duties, stating in June 2023,
We need to go back to like 1942, we need to put women back into the kitchen.
He has blamed women entering the workforce for economic problems and criticized women’s suffrage by saying America f-cked up by allowing women to vote. Merchandise sold by Strickland has included the phrase
A Woman In Every Kitchen, A Gun In Every Hand,
reflecting his belief that women have lost their place in society.
Upcoming Fight and Continuing Controversies
Strickland, who has previously defended federal ICE operations and supported another controversial fatal shooting of protester Renee Nicole Good on January 7, remains scheduled to fight Anthony Hernandez at UFC Fight Night 267 in Houston on February 21. His vocal positions on gun rights and his recent defense of law enforcement personnel involved in fatal shootings continue to fuel tensions in both the MMA world and national political discourse, indicating ongoing challenges for his career and public perception.
Nobody with a CCW is reaching for a mag or gun while being arrested….
Couple rules we live by. Only shoot if your life is in danger…
AND the most important
Keep your hands up and dont reach for a gun while dealing with a cop especially if being arrested
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) January 26, 2026
NO!! you do have that right…
BUT
If youre being arrested and reach for it and grab a magazine instead YOURE MOST LIKELY GOING TO GET SHOT..
This is a case of being radicalized. In my opinion he wanted to die
NO CCW HOLDER WOULD BE THAT STUPID. It was intentional. https://t.co/cHJ2YtDDsU
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) January 26, 2026
Unless this video is fake you will die 100 percent of the time reaching for your holster and grabbing a object while getting arrested..
I repeat in any situation this will result in your death 100 percent of the time.. pic.twitter.com/31mA6E4I0m
— Sean Strickland (@SStricklandMMA) January 26, 2026
